


Superboy : Wildcard

by Brawl2099



Category: Superboy (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 03:38:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14803665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brawl2099/pseuds/Brawl2099
Summary: Superboy encounters an enemy that he may not be able to beat.





	1. Chapter 1

 

Superboy : Wildcard #1

Issue #1 (of 8)  
"Duplicate"  
By Tony Thornley  

* * *

> It was quiet in Metropolis. It had every right to be. The city had just endured an invasion of epic porportions,* and survived because of her heroes. Superman never had a break, but the city's other heroes got a break afterwards. Steel had gone back to work in his laboratories, developing new weapons systems for his armor, and occaisionally running a mission alongside other heroes. Alpha Centuron had retreated into solitude, as always an enigma. And Superboy, the youngest of them all, had returned to his home in the Cadmus Project, putting hope upon hope to get back out again soon.
> 
> * (In the [Cold Armageddon crossover](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/Titles/events/coldarm/index.htm)\- Tony)
> 
> Superboy had hated the Project, but stayed there, not wanting to face the public as much since the fiasco surrounding "Superboy: The Event." He had flown away in anger, straight into a thunderstorm. All he remembered was the bolt of lightning, then awakening in a strange land ruled by animal men. He left the island and took refuge with the Guardian and Dubbilex, who drafted him to work for the Cadmus Project.* Since then, the Project's entire command structure had changed, and the founders of the Project found themselves living in Metropolis, evicted from their very lives' work, while a new director, Mickey "The Mechanic" Cannon, and a military consult, Major Adam Winterbourne, turned the Project upside down.
> 
> * (A brief recap of Superboy #48-54- Tony)
> 
> He had come to accept the new director, but wanted out of the Project as often as possible. He never guessed that the strange portal that would open over Metropolis would offer him that opportunity, and so much more.

* * *

> "This isn't our juristdiction!" Winterbourne barked at Cannon and Guardian, while pointing at a camera view of the portal in the Project's monitor room. "So what if it's a portal to Apokolips itself! We're here just for genetic anomalies. And so's Superboy."  
>  "So why did you allow the Kid to go help Metropolis during the whole Mongul affair?" Cannon fired back.  
>  "They needed all the help they could get," Winterbourne muttered.  
>  "So, how do we know they don't now?" Guardian asked.  
>  "They who?" The three men turned and discovered Superboy standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame of the door. "And Darkseid wouldn't use portals like that. They use boom tubes." Superboy stepped away from the doorway, and walked into the monitor room.  
>  "That's irrelevant," said Winterbourne. "Superman, or Steel, or that Roman guy-"  
>  "Alpha Centuron," Superboy corrected.  
>  "Whatever. They can take care of it. No need to expend Cadmus Project resources on something that has nothing to do with our objectives."  
>  "Since when have I become 'Cadmus Project resources'?" Superboy asked.  
>  "That's not what I meant!" Winterbourne exclaimed.  
>  "That's exactly what you meant," Superboy said, pushing his index finger against Winterbourne's chest. "And I'm going to investigate, no matter what you say."  
>  "You want back-up?" Guardian asked.  
>  "I'll try to contact Steel, if he's in town," Superboy said. After regarding the skeptical look on Guardian's face, Superboy laughed. "Don't worry about me! I'm Superboy. I've faced the Female Furies and survived, remember?"*  
>    
>  * (Superboy #25- Tony)  
>    
>  "You had Knockout and virtually every cop in Hawaii fighting alongside you, Kid."  
>  "Don't worry!" Superboy laughed. "What's the worst that can happen to me? Get sucked into an alternate universe?" 

* * *

  


> Superboy rocketed over Metropolis. People had began to gather on the street, pointing to the portal. Superboy laughed. It wasn't like they'd seen worse before. He pulled a small comm device from his belt, and hit the transmit key.  
>  "Steel, you there, buddy?" he asked into the comm.  
>  "Yeah, Kid," replied Steel's voice. "You headed for that portal?"  
>  "Yep, you coming?"  
>  "I'm busy, but I'll try to get there ASAP," Steel said. "Good luck Kid."  
>  "Ten-four good buddy, over and out," Superboy cracked. "Thanks." He let off on the transmit key. "I might need it." 

* * *

> Superboy flew to the portal. It was just a big black spot in the sky. It was completely two dimensional, except for the energy crackling at the edges. He flew around it, over it and under it. There was nothing to the thing. Maybe just a hole of entropy left over from the time crisis.  
>  "The time crisis was years ago," Superboy muttered to himself. "Thing seems harmless." Superboy looked down at the assembled masses of Metropolis below. He might as well tell them there was nothing to this thing. He flew lower so the people could hear him.  
>  "It's all clear ladies and gentlemen!" Superboy called. "Nothin' to it." He motioned back to it. "It's just a two dimensional hole in the sky-" Several people pointed to the portal and he turned to follow their gaze. "-with a mean looking hombre coming out of it." He spun back to the people. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this!" Superboy flew back to the portal and the young man who now hovered beneath it. He was clad in a black jumpsuit, with a hood covering the top half of his face. He wore a leather jacket over his jumpsuit.  
>  "Hey, 'sup?" Superboy said cordially. "This your portal? Cool. Tell me, can you get to anywhere with it? Say those hot topless beaches on the French Riviera?"  
>  "You are the sole emmisary this reality sends?" asked the young man.  
>  "Emmisary?" Superboy asked, a bit perplexed. "Wha'd'you mean?"  
>  "A champion to battle Wild Card, the herald of the Crime Syndicate?" the young man explained, a bit angered by Superboy's ignorance."  
>  "Well, you know, I'm a pretty good champion," Superboy replied. "But I hate to tell you that the Green Lantern Corps banished the Crime Syndicate to some world far, far away. Quark, or something like that."  
>  "Foolish one," Wild Card laughed. Then Superboy was stunned as the young man punched him. Hard.  
>  Superboy flew across the sky, the impact of Wild Card's blow knocking the wind out of him. He panted a couple seconds, trying to fill his lungs, exhaled, then took a deep breath. He concentrated and stopped his flight across Metropolis's skyline. He reversed direction, then climbed to top speed, hoping to ram Wild Card as hard as he could. The youth came up at him fast, and it took Superboy an instant to realise that Wild Card was flying toward him.  
>  The high speed impact made a sound that was not unlike a thunderclap. Superboy shook his head as Wild Card was upon him, raining him with blows. Superboy took an instant to recover, then saw Wild Card's fist come at his face.  
>  Superboy caught the fist, and squeezed Wild Card's knuckles.  
>  "Nice try," Superboy said. "Can't catch me off guard for long. Let me introduce you to something. I call it tactile telekinesis." Using his TTK, Superboy sent shots of pain up Wild Card's arm.  
>  "Gahh!"  
>  "Hurts, doesn't it?" Superboy taunted.  
>  "Yeah," Wild Card grunted, "but where's my other arm?"  
>  "Whu?" Superboy turned his head just enough to see Wild Card's other arm come around in a roundhouse punch.  
>  Superboy felt his world go black as he plowed into Centennial Park. 

* * *

> The windows of the Daily Planet rattled as the two combatants duked it out nearby. Jimmy Olsen took his attention from the roll of flim he was developing, which included pictures of the portal, at one especially powerful shockwave.  
>  "What was that?" he muttered. He looked back to his film and cursed. He quickly lifted the film from the developing solution and dropped it into the stopper fluid. He muttered several other curses as he lifted the film up to the red light to view it.  
>  "Some are salvageable," he muttered, then set the film aside. He grabbed his camera and hurried out of the dark room.  
>  There were several people gathered around the windows facing towards Centennial Park. Jimmy tried to push through the crowd, but was unable to. He pulled a chair up behind them, and stood on it, trying to get a view of whatever was happening. No luck. Finally someone left the group, and Jimmy grabbed her.  
>  "Hey, what's going on out there?" Jimmy asked.  
>  "Superboy investigated the portal, first meta all day," the girl said. "Some guy came out of it and started being the tar out of the Kid." Jimmy cursed. He had never liked Superboy, but he had some respect for the Kid. The copy girl ran off once Jimmy released her arm.  
>  "Kent! Lane!" Perry White exited his office and cursed. "Why are they never here? Olsen! Troupe! Head down to Centennial Park, and get me a story about this fight! GO!" Jimmy and Ron Troupe nodded at each other as they grabbed what they needed and ran for the elevators. 

* * *

> Superboy slowly awakened, and found Wild Card hovering over him. He sat up and dusted his jacket off. His finger caught on a rip in the leather, and Superboy scowled.  
>  "You trashed one of my jackets!" he growled. "I hate it when the bad guys do that!"  
>  "Oh, I'm a bad guy now!" Wild Card laughed. "Wait until the real Syndicate arrives! Then you'll know what a bad guy is!"  
>  "What do you mean by the _real_ Syndicate?" Superboy asked, getting to his feet.  
>  "Do you really think that they'd go half-cocked into battle?" Wild Card sneered. "Those were nothing more than clones and substitutes that your Green Lanterns faced. At best, a second-rate Crime Syndicate."  
>  "Um, okay, ouch," Superboy muttered. "I'm sure the Corps will be happy to hear that." Superboy flew from the ground, and at Wild Card. The youth wound up to strike Superboy, but the Kid punched him across the face before he had a chance.  
>  "No more sucker punches," Superboy said. "I'm at my legal limit for the day. Thank you very much!" Superboy uppercutted Wild Card, then brought his elbow down on his back. Wild Card slammed into the ground, then barely had time to stand before Superboy plowed into him with a piledriver.  
>  "You know what?" Superboy said as he struck Wild Card. "You can go back an tell your Crime Syndicate that we don't really need them. We have enough meglomanics bent on world domination as it is. We'll pass today, but they could always try worlds like Apokolips. I'm sure Darkseid is up to the challenge. But around here, we're recovering from a major alien invasion, and so, we don't need them."  
>  "Shut up!" Wild Card screamed.  
>  "Sorry," Superboy laughed, "don't want to." As he hit Wild Card again, his mask ripped, revealing his face underneath.  
>  "Whu?!" Superboy exclaimed. 

  


* * *

> Jimmy and Ron ran into Centennial Park, and shoved through the crowd around the combatants. Jimmy got to the front and was about to snap a picture when he saw the face of the youth Superboy was fighting. 

  


* * *

> Superboy suddenly felt himself reeling as he looked into Wild Card's face. All this time, he would have never guessed. His voice was totally different, and his mannerisms were totally contrary to what he knew. But Superboy looked back into Wild Card's face and confirmed his suspicions.  
>  Superboy was staring at himself. 

* * *

  
[In Superboy: Wild Card #2](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/Titles/main/superboy-wildcard/sb-wc-2.htm): Superboy must   
recover from the revelation of Wild Card's identity, or else his doppelganger   
will win the fight that will determine Superboy's fate forever.

 

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
---


	2. Chapter 2

Wild Card stood over Superboy, as the Kid of Steel slowly regained consciousness. He heard a camera clicking wildly, and turned to see a flash bulb go off. Wild Card flew slowly over to the photographer, Jimmy Olsen, grabbed the camera from him, and used his tactile telekinesis to shatter it.

"No pictures," Wild Card declared. "The Syndicate abhors pictures."

"Hey buddy," Superboy groaned. "This is America. We've got the freedom of press around here." He rose to his feet painfully.

"Not anymore." Wild Card flew towards Superboy, slamming the Kid in the chest. They were driven further into Centennial Park, away from the crowds that had gathered to see the fight.

"Are you ready to die, Superboy?" Wild Card asked, as Superboy rose to his feet again.

"Ladies before gentlemen," Superboy growled, using his TTK to push the ground up underneath Wild Card. The mud formed a fist and clenched itself around Wild Card. "Oops, I forgot an airhole. Oh well." Superboy was stunned. He had never been so cruel to an opponent. Of course, no opponent had seriously threatened to kill him. Or to start an invasion from another reality. Or picked on that Olsen kid. That was his job!

The globe of mud seemed to move slightly, then exploded outward, plastering Superboy with earth and debris. Wild Card hovered there, his costume devoid of any mud.

"Valiant effort," Wild Card laughed. "Very valiant indeed. Of course, you have no hope against a soldier trained by the Emperor Kal-El himself!"

"Kal-El?" Superboy growled. "Superman would never do anything like that."

"The Emperor could destroy your Superman like that!" Wild Card snapped his fingers. Superboy's face turned to a suden glare of hatred.

*THWHAM*

"No one talks about Superman like that," Superboy growled, standing over Wild Card, who nursed a dislocated jaw. "No one."

"A little defensive are we?" Wild Card laughed, popping his jaw back into joint. "Let me tell you something boy. Every one of the Syndicate could destroy every single member of your JLA easily. The Syndicate is better than anyone else. No questions asked!" Wild Card flew up, slamming Superboy in the chest. Superboy brought his fists down into the small of Wild Card's back and heard a satisfying crunch.

Wild Card grunted as he felt one of his vertebrae break. He quickly manipulated his TTK to seal the fracture. He extended his tactile telekinetic field into Superboy's chest and seized his heart. Superboy felt the invasion, and immediately pushed Wild Card's TTK back, and shoved hard with his own.

Wild Card was thrown to the ground, knocking his breath out of him. Superboy grabbed a nearby tree, and tore it from its roots. He swung it around like a baseball bat, slamming into Wild Card's side. Wild Card collapsed, then looksed up at Superboy and laughed. A barrage of dirt and rocks flew into the air and pelted Superboy.

Superboy dived to the ground, but the rocks followed him, as if Wild Card had programmed them to follow him. Superboy poured on the speed, heading straight for Wild Card. Superboy turned into a sharp climb, and the rocks pelted their master hard.

Wild Card laughed. "You've been an impressive opponent Superboy. It's too bad I'll have to give you to the Mankiller to finish you off." A portal similar to the one that had opened over the city blinked into existence. "Goodbye Superboy!" Wild Card lept into the air, grabbed the Kid by his leather jacket and threw him into the portal. Superboy screamed as he saw his world fade away behind him.

Steel flew over Centennial Park, looking for Superboy and the being who had attacked him. John Henry Irons had hated Superboy the first time he meet the Kid, but he proved himself in the middle of Engine City.* Now the two were friends, and frequent partners, although their philosphies were slightly different.

* (Both in the now-classic Reign of Supermen storyline- Tony)

Steel couldn't see any sign of the Kid or the guy who attacked him, so he switched his helmet's visor over to infrared. Below he saw Metropolis SCU officers starting to swarm into the woods, looking for Superboy and his attacker. They would have far to search, as the forested part of Centennial Park was only a couple of acres large.

He saw two heat sources in the middle of the forest, and flew there. He set down about twenty yards away in order to give himself the element of surprise. He walked softly through the woods, his sledge hammer held ready. He heard movement in the underbrush, then saw the two combatants fly to the top of the trees. Wild Card turned and flung Superboy into a portal hovering over the ground. He nearly sprung into action then, but saw Superboy was through the portal, and Wild Card was doing something.

Wild Card's costume became fluid and started shifting form. The black cloak he wore shortened to become a leather jacket. His military tunic tightened and became spandex, and it's colors shifted to become Superboy's top. The action was repeated as Wild Card's pants became identical to Superboy's. Steel's face contorted into a snear of disgust. He was about to attack when two SCU officers appeared behind Wild Card.

"Superboy!" one officer exclaimed. "What happened to that other guy?" Wild Card pointed to the portal, which sealed itself off.

"He's gone," Wild Card laughed. "I whipped that sorry moke's butt!" Steel said nothing, and made no attempt to make his presence known. Steel suddenly found himself placed in a precarious position.

He could go public with what he saw, but Wild Card could just claim that Steel was seeing things. He could attack Wild Card and reveal him to the world, but that would just make him look nuts. Steel saw one alternative open to him. He had to make sure that Wild Card did nothing to start an invasion until he had somehow had enough evidence to reveal who the new Superboy really was.

Superboy landed with a grunt. He saw the portal several feet above him, and it slowly sealed into inexistence. Superboy stood, brushing himself off. Who was that Mankiller that Wild Card was talking about?

"Hello," hissed a voice behind him. Superboy spun to see two beings, a walking tank, and an alien that vaguely resembled the Martain Manhunter, except for the spikes that covered its body.

"We thought Wild Card would be coming back to report. Apparently, he sssent hisss doppelganger for usss to play with. Irons?"

"After you Mankiller," the man within the monsterous suit of armor replied.

"I am the Martian Mankiller, and this is Tank, asss I'm sssure you've guesssed," Mankiller said. "We're your executionersss."

Epilogue:

Wild Card sat on the roof of a brownstone in Metropolis, pleased that fate had dealt him the hand it did. He never expected to be confronted by his own doppelganger as he exited the portal. It presented an excellent opportunity.

Wild Card jumped back as a small object hit the ledge underneath his foot. He saw it was a rivet with a small note attatched. He unwrapped the note and held it to the only light available to read it.

I know.

Wild Card grinned. Someone had seen him. Let the cat-and-mouse chase begin. Wild Card laughed. The question was, who was the cat, and who was the mouse?

Next: Superboy faces the Martian Mankiller and the Tank, and gains an unexpected ally! Meanwhile, Wild Card begins testing the meta-humans of Earth by teaming up with Aquaman! All this and Steel begins devising a way to reveal Wild Card's identity to the world!


	3. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #3

 

Superboy : Wildcard 

Issue #3 (of 8)  
"Spoils"  
By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)  

* * *

Superboy ducked behind a large piece of wreckage, hoping the cover would be enough to shield himself from Tank's artillery.  Superboy wondered how he had ended up here, in an alternate reality where the Justice League was an evil group of world dominators called the Syndicate.*  It was a confusing predicament that all traced back to a young man called Wild Card, who was Superboy's duplictate from this reality.  A duplictate that Superboy assumed was pretending to be him.

* (In [last issue](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/Titles/main/superboy-wildcard/sb-wc-2.htm)\- Tony)

"Missed him!" Tank roared, firing another round into the debris.

"You fool!" hissed Martian Mankiller.  "Didn't you sssee the sssymbol on his cossstume?  He isss a compatriot of that accursssed Sssuperman!  It'sss going to take more than heavy artillery to take him down!"

"Dude, you have no idea how wrong you are," Superboy whispered.  He saw a girder laying in the wreckage, torn from the building it once held up.  He grabbed it, extending his tactile telekinesis to pick it up, and flew into the air.  Tank saw his flight path, and aimed to intercept the Kid.  Superboy didn't give him the chance.  With a powerful throw, he flung the girder into Tank's chest, crushing the armored man's chestplate.

"Too much damage!" Tank moaned.  "I'm down!  Get him J'onn!"

"You little weakling!" the Mankiller exclaimed.  "The Emperor will have your blood for wine, Irons!"

"My problem!" Tank roared.  "Get that little puke before he gets away!"

Superboy laughed.  Who said he was going to try to get away?  He rose into the air several hundred feet above the highest building in the city, which wasn't very high, considering most the city had been leveled.  He could see from here that the city was Metropolis from the Daily Planet globe lying in pieces underneath him and Mount Curtis just outside the city.

Superboy dove as Mankiller began to rise from the ground.  He hoped he could hit terminal velocity, but knew that it would hurt regardless.  Mankiller saw what Superboy was trying to do, and flew into the air to meet him.  As Superboy dove, he began to see more differences between the Martian Mankiller, and his reality's Martian Manhunter.  The Mankiller had longer limbs, and spines all over his body.  His head was very serpentine, and his mouth was filled with fangs.  It was ugly, no doubt about it.

And it was coming right for him.

* * *

He was Wild Card.  Everyone else thought he was Superboy.  That's why he was in the Cadmus Project, taking orders from Mickey Cannon, and waiting.  Waiting for an opportunity to face Earth's superheroes.  To test their defenses.  And if the opportunity arises, to kill them.

Now, Wild Card strode through the halls of the Project, impressed by the technology this reality had.  Nothing in comparison to his own reality, but still very impressive.  It was be a pleasure to exploit and destroy this place.

"Superboy!" called Cannon.  Wild Card spun to look at him.

"Yeah, Mick?"

"Uncle Sam just called in," Cannon explained.  "We have a situation in the Atlantic Ocean.  Seems a mutated monster fish has popped up, ate a couple oil tankers.  The JLA has already asked Aquaman to look in on it, but the President wants Cadmus there as well.  Since you're our resident field agent..."

"Taken care of Mick," Wild Card said with a laugh.  "You don't have to worry about a thing!"  With that Wild Card rushed to the Project's landing bay, and took to the sky.

Mickey Cannon followed Superboy's flight path curiously.  Serling Roquette came up behind him.

"Something wrong sir?" she asked.  Mick jumped a little then turned around to Serling.

"Is it just me Serling, or has Superboy never been so eager to do something like that?"

* * *

Wild Card flew over the Atlantic, searching for the location his GPS uplink gave him.  The small handheld unit's beeping grew steadily faster, indicating that he was growing closer.  Soon the GPS emited a solid tone, and Wild Card looked down.  Extending his telekinetic field to give himself plenty of oxygen, Wild Card searched the waters below for signs of Aquaman or the sea monster.

He finally saw both.

Aquaman was facing the creature alone, as a legion of Atlantean soldiers watched tehir king, prepared to enter the battle if Aquaman should fall.  Wild Card wasn't going to wait for that.

Wild Card dived into the water, and plowed into the sea creature.  The creature, which Wild Card saw was a giant eel, perhaps a mile in length, convulsed then turned its attention from Aquaman to Wild Card.

"Superboy!" Aquaman roared.  "I have this handled!"

"I think not Fish-Man!" Wild Card retorted, slamming the eel with his telekineticly extended fist.  "The government called me in!"

"And the JLA called me in," Aquaman called, as he punched the eel where he was.  "This thing has Atlantean tech all over it.  It was probably stolen from Atlantis."

"Then I'm here to clean up for your mistakes!" Wild Card roared.  He grabbed the giant eel by both sides of its mouth, and extended his TK through it.  Wild Card then ripped the eel in half.

"How did you gain that much control?" Aquaman growled.  "I've never seen you use that much control over your powers!

"What's the matter?" Wild Card sneered.  "You jealous?"

Aquaman's face twisted into a look of pure rage.  With a cry, Aquaman attacked Wild Card, hook first.  Wild Card grabbed the hook and twisted.  Aquaman cried out in pain.  Wild Card hid a smile.  Aquaman was no match for him.

Aquaman swung at his head with a roundhouse, but ran into Wild Card's telekinetic field.  Wild Card extended his TK to shove Aquaman.  Aquaman flew back, and hit the seabed below.  The Atlantean soldiers seemed ready to attack, but suddenly started to fall back.

Wild Card turned around, looking for Aquaman.  The hero had disappeared.  Without any warning, he heard a whoosh sound behind him, and was hit by Aquaman in the kidneys.  He lost control of his telekinetic field, and the water rushed in at him.

He felt himself black out, as Aquaman floated in front of him.

* * *

Superboy braced for impact, and saw the Mankiller do the same.  They slammed into each other, hard.  Superboy felt his teeth rattle, so he clenched them together, gritting out the pain.

They were driven into the underlevels of Metropolis, where the Mankiller grabbed Superboy by the face, covering his eyes.  The Kid struggled against the Martian's strong grip.  He started lashing out with his fists towards Mankiller.

"Get your hands out of my eyes!" Superboy screamed.

"No," the Mankiller laughed.  "Do you think I would willingly expossse myssself to your heat visssion?"

"Dude, you have me mistaken for someone else!"  Superboy grabbed Mankiller's wrist, and sent shockwaves down his arm using his tactile telekinesis.  The alien screamed, and dropped him.

"Let me introduce you to a little trick of mine," Superboy said grabbing a chunk of concrete, and a hissing section of broken lead pipe.  The Kid sniffed it, verifying that it was spraying natural gas.  "It's called tactile telekinesis.  It can be used to give someone flight, superstrength, and control over anything I touch.  Say this pipe, and this piece of concrete.  I can use them to create enough friction to create a rather large spark-"  The spark came into being as Superboy scraped the concrete down the length of the pipe and ignited the gas within it.  "-and a makeshift flamethrower!"

The Mankiller screamed as the flames licked over his body.  Superboy's guess was right.  The Martian was vulnerable to extreme heat, as he'd guessed from the alien's little heat vision remark.  Suddenly the flame died, and Superboy's shoulders fell.

"Looksss like your little flamethrower'sss out of gasss," Mankiller laughed, slowly regaining his composture.  "Now it'sss your time to die!"  The Mankiller ran to Superboy, grabbed him by the throat, and started choking him.

"It ssseemsss you are not asss invulnerable asss I firssst thought," Mankiller hissed.

"Hey, Ugly!" a voice cried from above them.  The Mankiller looked up, and his eyes were filled with napalm.  The Martian screamed, and Superboy heard a feminine voice call out to him.

"Meta!  You!  Get up here!"  Superboy flew into the air, avoiding the Mankiller's flailing limbs.  He saw a girl in a familiar costume standing near the hole, already firing a grappling hook and line into the air.  Superboy grabbed her in midswing, and flew into the air, away from Tank and the Martian Mankiller.

"Hello milady," Superboy said in a Brittish accent, "it seems that I owe me life to ye."  The girl shook her head.

"Had to happen eventually," she muttered.  "We actually get a meta on our side and he's flippin' nuts!  Hurry, that napalm will burn itself out soon."

"Sorry," Superboy muttered.  "Thanks for the save.  Where to?"

"Outside this rubble heap of a city," she replied.  "About three miles south by southwest.  The Resistance has a bunker there."

"You got it, milady," Superboy cracked.  "Didn't catch your name."

"Stephanie Brown," she replied.  "Code-name Spoiler."

"Superboy," he said.  "You can call me Kid."

* * *

Wild Card awoke in a rubber raft floating in the middle of the Atlantic.  He sat up, and looked around himself, cursing.  Aquaman had beaten him, and now humiliated him.  Wild Card saw a small hand-written note sitting next to him.

The seas are my domain Superboy.  Don't cross me in them.

* * *

Superboy sat down in what seemed like a war room inside the Resistance's bunker.  Three members of the Resistance, seemingly big shots, paced around him, trying to figure out what to do about him, while Spoiler leaned against a far wall.  Superboy kept stealing glances at her.  She had her mask off now, and she was gorgeous, virtually a blonde goddess.

A man Superboy recognised as Lex Luthor yelled at him suddenly, jerking the Kid out of his thoughts.

"If you're not a spy for the Syndicate, who are you?" Luthor repeated.

"It's kind of hard to explain really..." Superboy said.

"We're listening," said one of the others, who reminded him of Nightwing.  Superboy thought his name was Grayson.  "Well...?"

Superboy explained his confrontation with Wild Card, a name all three men recognised.  He explained all that happened, and how Wild Card shoved him through the portal to this reality and right into the arms of the Mankiller and Tank.*  He ended with Spoiler bailing his butt out and being led back to the bunker.

* (The events of the last two issues- Tony)

"We've heard that the Syndicate has the tech to cross dimensional barriers," the third man, Harvey Bullock, muttered.  "Didn't think they'd be using it to invade other realities just yet."

"From the way Wild Card talked, my reality isn't the first," Superboy said.

"We'll have to check into that," Luthor muttered.  "I personally don't trust you much farther than I can throw you, but if we keep someone from the Resistance with you..."  Luthor's eyes trailed over to Spoiler.

"I have no problem with it," Spoiler shrugged.  "It might be fun to finally work with a meta.  I'm game."

"Score!" Superboy said under his breath.

"What was that?" Luther asked.

"Uh, nothing."

"Okay Kid," Grayson said, extending his hand.  "Welcome to the Resistance Front of America.  Good luck!"

Superboy took Grayson's hand.  "Thanks."  He looked over to Stephanie, who had a small smile on her face.  "I'm going to need it."

* * *

[Next](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/Titles/main/superboy-wildcard/sb-wc-4.htm): Superboy finds himself fighting the most depraved faction of the Syndicate- the Speed Freex!  Plus, Wild Card meets Robin and Impulse!  Sparks will fly!

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
---


	4. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #4

Issue #4, (of 8)  
"Speed Addiction"  
By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)  

* * *

It was all over. 

The world was dead. Steel found himself in the middle of a devastated Metropolis. Fires were burning all over the city. Corpses littered the streets. Earth was in a state of total ruin. Gotham was completely leveled. New York had been reduced to meta-human training grounds. In Washington, the remnants of America's government were being hunted like animals. But in Metropolis, the situation was most dire. 

The Justice League had fallen here in defense of the Earth. Superman lay dead on top of the Daily Planet building. Batman and Firestorm had been atomized in the first wave. Green Lantern, and the entire GL Corps had been systematicly slaughtered. Wonder Woman was being kept alive for the pleasure of their new ruler. Emperor Kal-El, leader of the Syndicate. And at his right hand was the person Steel was unable to stop, Wild Card. 

Then the Emperor directed his attention to Steel, and ordered his death. 

* * *

John Henry Irons woke up on laying his drawing board, sketches for a new suit of armor drawn out. The dream was so vivid that he could smell the smoke. John Henry lifted the sketches to the light and regarded them closely. 

"Perfect," he muttered. "I need to get to work." 

And Steel went to work in preventing his nightmare. 

* * *

"I like it." 

Superboy looked at himself in the mirror. He wore a new set of clothing, a mostly red outfit with a black leather jacket. He slipped on the fingerless glove and held his fist out. 

"I really like it. How'd you come up with this Stephanie?" 

"Pretty easily Superboy," Spoiler said. "The Mankiller and Tank know your old costume, so I just did some tweaking. Changed the color scheme and removed the S from your jacket, and there you go." 

"Thanks." 

"You're welcome," Spoiler replied. "Now we need to do something about your name. The Syndicate interecepts our communications from time to time, and if we use a code name for you, they'll have no idea that you're Superboy." 

"Well... how about Kon-El?" Superboy asked. 

"Kon for short. They'll have no idea. Good idea... Kon-El." 

* * *

Wild Card followed Robin and Impulse towards a large pumping station outside of Gateway City. The two had contacted him late the previous night to get his help in facing an unknown villian who was filling the water supply of several different cities with a bacteria that caused cholera-like symptoms for several days. Luckily no one had died from it- yet. Robin wanted to prevent the inevitable deaths. 

"So we're in Wonder Woman's city," Wild Card said from the air while Robin and Impulse watched the building from behind a bush. "Why didn't you contact her?" 

"My source says our mystery baddie is here, and being sneaky about it is best." 

"So no golden bras?" Robin looked up at Wild Card a scowl on his face. 

"No Superboy, no golden bras." 

"Too bad," Wild Card said. 

"Shhh!" Robin hissed. "Here's our mystery man now." Superboy saw the man in a trenchcoat getting out of a limousine and walking towards the pump station. 

"Whoisit?" Impulse asked. 

"I can't tell," Robin said. "Superboy, how about you?" 

"Not really, wait, he's turning around!" 

Robin gasped. He hadn't expected him. 

"Isitreallyhim? Isthatreally...?!" 

"Yeah Bart," Robin said. "It's the Joker." 

"Uh oh," Impulse replied. "We're in trouble." 

* * *

."Kon-El?" Luthor said in response to Superboy's new name. "Well, we've got a doozy of a first mission for the two of you." Luthor tapped a few keys on a console, bringing up a map to the RFA's main monitor screen. Superboy peered at the map, trying to guess at the location.

"This is Keystone City. A faction of the Syndicate called the Speed Freaks have taken over the city. They are currently holding the RFA cell in Keystone under seige. We need you and Spoiler to get into the city, get the RFA cell out, and try to find some way to take down the Freaks." 

"Are these guys the Speed Force people?" Superboy asked. 

"I believe so," Luthor replied. "We've only had one person encounter them and survive. The poor bastard is still unable to talk about it." 

"So we're going into completely uncharted territory?" Spoiler asked. 

"Essentially." 

"Wonderful," Superboy muttered. 

* * *

"It can't be that hard," Wild Card said. "I mean, a bunch of hired goons, then the Joker himself. And it's not like he has superpowers or anything." 

"Well, Superboy has a point..." 

"It doesn't matter!" Robin argued. "It's the Joker! The man's nearly taken out Batman on occaisions." 

"Has he ever taken out Superman or the Flash, Robin?" 

"No, he hasn't. Not alone." Robin frowned. Superboy had always called him Boy Wonder, Wonder Boy, or Rob. He'd never called him Robin before. 

"Let's take him out then. Come on. The three of us won't have any problem!" 

"No Superboy, I think it's best that Batm-!" Robin was too late. Wild Card had already headed towards the pump station. 

"R, what do we do?" Impulse asked. 

"Follow the idiot," Robin said. "I've never seen Superboy do something this pig-headed." 

"NeitherhaveI," Impulse said as he raced toward the building. Robin sighed and followed his comrades into the pump station. 

Wild Card had already taken out the first set of goons by teh time Robin had made it to the door. Impulse and Wild Card waited for Robin at the door. 

"Anything to tell us fearless leader?" Wild Card said. 

"Move fast. I'll throw a smoke capsule in first to confuse them." Wild Card smiled and popped his knuckles. 

"Let's go." 

Wild Card kicked in the door, and Robin threw his smoke capsule in. Wild Card flew forward, plowing through the goons. Robin drew his bo staff and vaulted in behind Wild Card. He hit the goons that Wild Card had missed, while Impulse did the same. Wild Card hovered above them watching. 

The youths were excellent fighters. They would be worthy adversaries when the invasion began. If only he could turn them to the Syndicate. Then he wouldn't have to kill them. 

"Superboy!" Robin exclaimed. 

"Yes Robin?" 

"Do something!" 

"Okay," Wild Card replied, and flew down the hall, following the Joker. 

"Superboy!" Robin cried as he fended off another goon. 

* * *

Superboy floated several feet above the ground, watching the streaks of lightning rush through Keystone. He'd seen Impulse and the Flash enough to know what it was. Speedsters. The Speed Force was an incredible thing. 

"Well?" Spoiler asked. 

"There's at least one on active patrol right now," Superboy replied. "Hard to tell from just the frequency of their passing. They're just too fast." Superboy smirked. "The others are probably close." 

"Right, so we go in from the air?" 

"And avoid any buildings they can run up." Superboy turned back to Keystone and frowned. "Where exactly is the RFA cell housed?" 

"To the northeast of our current position, about a mile." 

"Okay, I think I can handle that," Superboy said picking Spoiler up in his arms. He looked at her and felt a sudden pang. He'd been forced to leave so much behind in his own world. Wild Card had probably taken over his life. He hated to think about what he was doing to Guardian, Serling, Dubbilex. He dreaded what would happen if he ever discovered Tana's existance. And now this beautiful girl had entered his life, and he knew he was developing feelings for her over just days spent with her. 

"Superboy?" Spoiler asked. 

"Yeah?" 

"Why are looking at me like that?" 

"Nothing Steph," he said, looking away. "Just thinking about home." 

"I'm sorry," Spoiler said. "Wait! There it is!" She pointed out a building that looked heavily fortified. Superboy swooped down and landed on the roof. An armed guard looking over the ledge spun and aimed his weapon at them. 

"Freeze costumes!" he said. 

"It's okay!" Spoiler said. "Luthor contacted you about us. I'm Stephanie Brown, this is Kon-El. We're here to help." 

"A meta and a costume?" the man said. "Why the sudden interest in you?" 

"It's complicated," Superboy said. "Let's just say I'm not from around here." 

"Okay," the man said, and lowered his gun. "I'm Leonard Snart, code name Deep Freeze." He held up his gun. "If I'd pulled the trigger here you'd be mighty cold right now." 

"We'll take your word for it," Superboy said. "Now can we meet the rest of the cell?" 

"Certainly." 

* * *

Wild Card found the Joker standing over the water supply of Gateway City, prepared to release the bacteria. 

"Don't do it," he warned. The Joker turned at smiled at him. 

"Superboy?" he laughed. "Is this how I'm regarded now? Teenagers? Well, you're too late Superman Jr!" 

"Wait," Wild Card said, changing Superboy's costume into that of Wild Card. The Joker's jaw dropped. 

"You're that kid who fought Superboy!" Joker said. "Thought he beat you. Guess that's the joke!" The Joker laughed. 

"That's right," Wild Card said. "I'm a herald of a group from another world called the Syndicate. We are planning an invasion of this reality. I am here to gather allies to the Syndicate and assess the Syndicate's possible enemies. Join us." 

"As fun as it sounds..." Joker stroked his long chin thoughtfully and giggled to himself. "My schedule is just too booked up with bank robberies and little pranks like these to take over the world. Hahahahahahaha!" 

"Then you'll need to die," Wild Card said. The Joker stopped laughing and looked at Wild Card as his costume morphed back into that of Superboy. His jaw dropped as Wild Card reeled back to punch him, intent on destroying him. 

* * *

Superboy shook hands with the leader of the RFA cell, Linda Park. Around her were various men and women, each armed and prepared for the Freaks. 

"We've been fending them off for several days," Linda said, "but I doubt we can hold out much longer. With each attack on us, they get stronger and more determined. Thank goodness you're here." 

"We'll do all we can to help," Superboy said. "It's the least we can do." 

"Thank you," Linda replied. Suddenly, the building started shaking, as wood and sheetrock fell from the ceiling. 

"It's them!" Deep Freeze yelled. "It's all of them!" Linda cursed. Superboy clenched his fist. 

"Steph, get them out. The Freaks are mine." 

"Kon, no!" 

"I'm the only meta here," Superboy said. "If I don't do it, no one will make it out alive." Superboy flew above the floor several feet. "Get out of Keystone. I'll take care of the Speed Freaks." 

* * *

Wild Card stepped back from the Joker admiring what he had done. The Joker was half dead, and only a few more blows would finish him. Wild Card smiled and licked the blood off his gloves. He bent down, took the Joker by the front of his tailored shirt, and lifted the Joker up. 

"You ready to die funny man?" Wild Card asked. The Joker tried to say something, but couldn't form words past his broken jaw. Wild Card smiled. "That's what I thought." Wild Card raised his fist for the finishing blow. 

"Superboy!" Wild Card turned and saw Robin and Impulse standing at the head of the corridor. Impulse ran forward and grabbed the Joker from Wild Card's grasp. 

"Bart, go call 911. He needs a doctor immediately." Impulse obeyed Robin's order and dashed away. Robin looked at Wild Card and scowled. "What the hell were you doing Superboy?" 

"Saving people from that disgusting disease." 

"The Hell you were," Robin growled. "Leave. Now." Wild Card sneered then flew through the roof of the pumping station. Robin walked over to the Joker, and knelt besides him. He had slipped into unconsciousness. This wasn't like Superboy. Not at all. 

* * *

Superboy hovered above the building as the Speed Freaks made their attacks. He was waiting for them to halt for a few seconds and regroup... 

"Now," he whispered. Superboy dived downwards, plowing directly into the midst of the speedsters. They all spun on him, shocked by the presence of another meta-human. Superboy looked at them and smiled. 

"Hello, my name is Superboy and I'm be you ass-kicker today," Superboy said. "Our specials are bruised, black and blue, and bleeding. May I take your order?" 

"Get 'im!" one of the Freaks yelled. They all rushed forward, ready to pummel Superboy. The ground buckled and heaved upwards in places, knocking the speedsters off balance. He turned to the Freak he let through and clotheslined him. The Speed Freak fell to the ground, unconscious. Superboy heard his next attacker and turned around. The Speed Freak started punching him with hyper-fast blows, but Superboy felt the timing and triggered his tactile telekinesis as one of the blows fell, knocking the Speed Freak backwards. By then, the others had all regained their balance, and all came at Superboy at once. 

"I hope you got them out Steph," Superboy whispered as he was pummeled into unconsciousness. 

* * *

The gathered cell of the RFA stopped several blocks from their safehouse. Several different vehicles held members of the cell. Spoiler got out of her particular vehicle and looked back. 

"Linda, we need to hurry," Stephanie said. 

"Of course," Linda said. "Why do you say this now?" 

"I want to get you guys out to safety so I can go back for Superboy." 

"Not alone," said Snart. Spoiler looked at him. He'd been joined by two other men. "We're going back too. Let's just get everyone out of the city." 

* * *

In Superboy: Wild Card #5: As Superboy is held captive by the Speed Freaks, Spoiler and the RFA group called the Rogues try to rescue Kon-El. Meanwhile, in Earth One, Wild Card teams-up with the Ray, an encounter that turns fatal, and Steel gains an ally. 

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
---


	5. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #5

 

Superboy : Wildcard #5

Issue #5, (of 8)  
"Speed and Loathing in Keystone City"  
By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)  

* * *

Superboy groggily opened his eyes. He could see a blur in front of him, and thought for a moment that his eyes hadn't focused yet. He felt bands of energy surrounding his neck and arms. He focused, but could still see the blur. Then he realised what it was. 

"Slow down," he rasped. 

"Okayboy,I'llslowdownforyouandthenyou'llseeme." The shape slowed and stopped in front of him. Superboy looked at the woman who stood in front of him. She distinctly resembled Jesse Quick, though there were differences- the length of her hair, the lack of goggles, and the amount of skin she showed. Her costume was crimson with lightning bolts cut out all over, baring more flesh than Zatanna did when she had a run up her fishnets. 

"Hellobeautifulmyname'sJesseandI'myourguard." She walked over to him, which was obviously painful. She leaned close to him and licked her lips. Superboy leaned back a few inches. She was intimidating. 

"You'regorgeous," she said. "I'mgladtheymademeyourguard." She smiled widely. "I'llshowyouthetruemeaningofquickie." She smiled even wider, and leaned forward and kissed Superboy for an instant. 

"That was quick," Superboy said. "Of course to you, it probably lasted a while." 

Jesse smiled. "WaituntilIgetstarted." 

"Jesse!" Jesse turned and regarded the man behind her. He stood in the doorway, his hands on his hips. She pouted at the sight of the man. 

"Max,you'reruiningmyfun." 

"I don't care Jesse," Max said. "It's not your guard shift anymore. Bart's on his way to take over." Max stepped aside, and Jesse disappeared in a blur. Max scowled at Superboy. His costume was also crimson, but it had a high collar, a cowl, and a large, white lightning bolt from his neck to his belt. 

"Not smart Meta," he said. "Everyone knows that the Speed Freaks rule Keystone. And the head Freak- Wally- reports directly to the Emperor. You'll be sent directly to him and then... you die." 

"What a happy thought," Superboy said. "Couldn't it just be and then... you get released with a repremand and promise never to come back again?" 

"Sorry, but around here we like blood." Max was interrupted by a blur which had to be Bart. "Hello Bart. Watch Superboy and make sure that he doesn't break those Speed Force bonds we have him in." 

"Yessir," Bart mumbled. Bart looked at Superboy, sat down, and planted his chin in his hands. Superboy stared at him. This boy wasn't at all like the Bart he knew. Impulse never stopped moving and always was impatient. This teenager seemed content to sit and watch him. 

"So..." Superboy said. "Killed anyone lately?" 

"I'm not like that," Bart replied. Superboy smiled. He had his way out. 

* * *

Steel stood inside Arkham, looking inside the infirmary where the Joker lay asleep after the beating he had suffered at the hands of Wild Card. A doctor examining the Joker looked at Steel, a grave look on his face. She walked to the door, opened it, and joined Steel. Steel's armor had been bulked up with massive servos and hydraulics, and his sledgehammer had become a veritable arsenal in itself. It had taken Steel producing his JLA ID for the guards to grant him access to the prison. 

"Well Mr. Steel, I'm surprised it isn't the Batman that's here checking on him," she said. 

"I have a personal interest in this doctor," Steel replied. 

"Well, he'll recover soon, but he'll be unable to talk for several weeks yet because of the damage dealt to his jaw. It was broken into at least a dozen pieces. His jaw will be wired shut until he's healed enough to talk again. It's amazing that Superboy dealt this sort of damage to him. I thought the Kid showed more restraint against people." 

"It's not Superboy, is it?" Steel and the doctor turned to the source of the voice- Robin. The Boy Wonder and Impulse stood in the shadows. Impulse's eyes were trained on the Joker, a horrified look in his eyes. 

"Doctor, if you'd excuse us..." She nodded and left the three heroes in the room. Steel turned to the two youths and nodded. "You've figured it out." 

"Wasn't hard," Robin replied. "Wild Card looked exactly like Superboy. They disappeared in the woods of Cenntennial Park, and one of them came out. Everyone thought it was Superboy." 

"I saw Wild Card shove Superboy into some sort of portal," Steel affirmed. "Wild Card doesn't know I saw. I'm afraid I'd be dead if he did." 

"He looks dead," Impulse said. Steel turned back to the Joker. 

"Wild Card beat him horribly," Steel said. "You boys saw that first hand. He needs to be stopped." 

"But how?" Impulse asked. 

"I'm trying to figure that one out myself," Steel replied. "But we need to figure it out soon." 

* * *

Wild Card soared over Pittsburgh, looking for the group of DNAliens that had escaped that morning from Cadmus. He hoped that this mission would turn out like his encounter with Aquaman, with some sort of hero showing up as well. He needed another good scrap. The Joker had been too easy. Maybe someone with some great powers. 

A series of gunshots caught his attention, and Wild Card headed towards the shots. His target had to be there. The sound of an energy discharge just goaded him to hurry. Outside of Metropolis, no police force had energy weapons. Only metahumans. He saw the DNAliens, a large rocky snake-like creature, a winged grey humanoid, and a green humanoid with a beetlebrow and four arms. They were facing the metahuman known as the Ray and an entire precinct's worth of Pittsburgh's finest. 

Wild Card dived towards the DNAliens, ramming the green one in the back. He cried out in pain, and turned to face his attacker. Wild Card touched him, snaring him with his telekinesis and punched him hard in the jaw. The DNAlien collapsed in a heap, unconscious. 

"Hey Kid, long time no see," the Ray said. The snake coiled at struck at him, and he answered it with a blast of light energy. 

"No kidding," Wild Card replied. In his reality, he'd snapped the Ray's neck when his disobeyed one of the Emperor's orders. "These guys got away from my bosses. They'll be here to clean-up soon." 

"Good news," the Ray replied, concentrating on the snake. 

"Yeah," Wild Card replied, flying to the winged DNAlien. He grabbed it and slammed it into the ground, knocking it out instantly. "Have the cops evacuated the bulidings around us?" 

"Yeah, why?" 

"This could get ugly!" Wild Card swooped down, grabbed the snake by the tail and swung it around, slamming it into a nearby building. The Ray gasped as he saw that the damage would cause the building to fall directly onto the policemen on the scene. The Ray moved to stop the falling rubble, but was hit by the rock snake. 

."SUPERBOY, blow. finishing a in snake rock the swung he as face Card?s Wild on look saw horror opened eyes Ray?s you-?!? are what>The building collapsed on top of the unconscious hero and the police. 

* * *

Spoiler led the three men through the streets of Keystone, careful to avoid the patrols of the Speed Freaks. Each man bore a weapon that had unusual properties. Deep Freeze had a freeze ray- a powerful weapon that didn't so much freeze things as suck the heat from them. Mark Mardon, Storm Front, had a staff that enabled him to control the weather. Digger Harkness, known as Quick Blade, employed a set of razor sharp throwing devices, such as boomerangs, discs, and daggers. The trio had nicknamed themselves the Rogues. 

"Th' Freaks' stronghold is up just 'nother couple o' city blocks," Harkness directed. "From there we c'n get t'yur Superboy." 

"Thanks," Spoiler said. She glanced from side to side, listened for a couple seconds and dashed across the street. 

"Don't worry Kon," she whispered. "We're on our way." 

* * *

Superboy leaned towards Bart. The boy stared him in the eye curiously. 

"Hey," Superboy said. "You know what Bart? I'm a lot like you. I don't like killing either. I'm trying to stop the Syndicate from killing anyone else. DO what to know the truth about me?" 

Bart looked up at him, his face uninterested. "Sure," he mumbled. 

"I'm from another reality," Superboy continued. "I'm from a reality where the Emperor is Superman, the greatest hero ever. Wally, he's the Flash, a member of the Justice League. You're my friend in my reality. Bart, in my reality, you're a hero." 

"A h-hero?" Bart echoed as if the word were foreign to him. "Me?" 

"Yeah Bart, you." 

Bart's eyes opened widely and a smile crossed his face. "You mean I can be a hero? I've never tried because the Allen Legacy is one where the Speed Force is always used by the bad guys. But now..." 

"You can be a hero," Superboy said. 

"Right!" Bart agreed, looking very much like Impulse. "Where do I start?" 

Superboy cocked his head towards where the Speed Force entangled his hands. "Get me loose." Bart laughed. 

"Oh, that's easy, all it takes is-" Bart reached out and touched Superboy. Superboy felt a new speed course through his body and pushed against the Speed Force energy. Suddenly, he was jolted by the energy and the speed that Bart had lent him made a connection with the Speed Force. Lightning coursed over his body, throwing Bart backwards. The lightning crackled over him, making connections with every cell in his body. Bart turned away, the light given off near blinding. When the light died, Bart turned back and found Superboy standing over him, a crimson lightning bolt across each shoulder of his jacket. 

"Now I know how you guys feel," Superboy said, offering Bart his hand. 

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Bart laughed, taking the offered hand. 

* * *

Wally West backhanded Jay Garrick visciously. The old fool had dared defy him again. And this time he would pay. 

"You senile bastard," Wally said. He kicked Garrick in the chest. "You don't want to go on patrol today?! Is poor old Jay getting to old for the Speed Freaks?! Are we leaving you behind?" 

"I was injured by the RFA's Rogues," Garrick mumbled. "They hurt me real bad!" 

"Real bad huh?!" Wally growled. "And to think you led this outfit at one time. Then Barry beat you, humbled you. Then I killed Barry. And I'm better than either of you ever would be! I have a direct connection to the Speed Force, and you-! You still think your speed comes from that stuff you inhaled during World War Two!" 

"Please Wally, show mercy," Garrick whined. 

"The Emperor wouldn't show mercy," Wally said. He raised his fist and started vibrating it to finish Garrick off. "Why should I?" Wally's fist plunged down, but it suddenly stopped. 

"Didn't your mom ever tell you it's not nice to kill your mentors?" Superboy held Wally's arm firmly in his grasp. Wally struggled against him, but was unable to break his grip. 

"Oh, you want me to let go?" Superboy said with a grin. A jolt of telekinetic energy threw Wally across the room. He slid across the floor and stopped. He looked up with a sneer on his face. 

"Get 'im Freaks!" The gathered Speed Freaks broke into action, rushing at Superboy. Kon counted ten of them. He didn't recognise most of them, but guessed that they existed in his world, knowing how many people were connected to the Speed Force. Superboy stood his ground until the last second, when his rocketed into the air with his newfound speed. Most of the Freaks darted to the side in time to avoid a collision, but three ran smack into each other. 

"Yoo-hoo!" Superboy called. "I'm up here!" He dove, slamming into Max, then spun and flew directly into Jesse's back. 

"Where's Bart?!" Wally screamed as he stood. "He was supposed to watch him!" 

"I'm right here, cuz!" Bart slammed into Wally at top speed, knocking him back to the ground. Wally turned, rage in his eyes. 

"You're going to die for that!" 

"Bring it on." 

Superboy continued his beating of the Speed Freaks. As he pummeled a bulky russian speedster, he heard the discharge of an energy weapon. He turned and saw Max frozen in a giant ice cube mere feet from him. 

"Thought you could use the help Superboy!" a voice called. Superboy looked for the source of the voice and found Spoiler, Deep Freeze and two other men baring weapons, ready for a fight. 

"Thanks but I think I've got the situation handled!" Superboy called, knocking the last Speed Freak unconscious. Then Superboy heard a deep rumbling. 

Vibrations from the ice cube encasing Max started the floor shaking, and rubble started to fall from the ceiling. 

"Get out!" Superboy yelled. "It's going to collapse." The four RFA members followed his orders, but when Superboy turned he saw Wally and Bart still fighting each other. 

"Bart, get out!" Superboy screamed. 

"I've seen the Black Flash coming for me!" Bart cried, turning his head slightly. "Go without me! GO!" Superboy turned reluctantly and flew out of the building as it collapsed behind him. Superboy turned, and saw a streak of lightning dashing away from the city. Deep down he knew it wasn't Bart. 

"Who was that kid?" Spoiler asked. 

"A hero Steph," Superboy said, gazing at the rubble. "A hero." 

* * *

The Ray opened his eyes to see a piece of rubble lifted off him. Ray looked at the man lifting the rubble, and dimly recognised Steel, despite the new armor. With a source of light powering him up, the Ray flared his powers and disintegrated the rubble around him. He flew into the air. 

"Great," Steel muttered. 

"What?" the Ray said, hovering above the rubble. 

"You're the only survivor we've found," Steel replied. "It killed everyone else." 

"Why did Superboy do this?" 

"It's a long story," Steel replied. "But one that needs to be told." 

* * *

Wally West bowed before Emperor Kal-El, his report given. 

"Your charge Bart freed Superboy and somehow granted him access to the Speed Force?" the Emperor growled. 

"Yes my lord," Wally replied. "He was the equal in speed to most of the Freaks. He bested them easily." 

"And what of your fellow Speed Freaks?" 

"Max Mercury attemped to free himself from an ice cube created by Deep Freeze and collapsed the building on all of the Freaks. I am the only one left." 

"Indeed," the Emperor replied. "Then this Superboy will be found, and he will die." 

* * *

In Superboy: Wild Card #6: With his new powers Superboy faces the full Syndicate for the first time! And what happens when Wild Card tries to get into Warriors without proper ID? Guy Gardner guest stars! 

* * *

Author's notes 

Hey all, 

With the fifth issue of Superboy, comes new powers! Cool huh? Well, I've really enjoyed writing this series, and the fact that it's become a team-up book of sorts, and I'm really looking forward to next issue's team-up/fight with Guy Gardner. But this note isn't about that. Some readers must be wondering where I got ten Speed Freaks. Well here it is. 

The Speed Freaks are Max Mercury, Jay Garrick, Johnny Quick, Blue Trinity (first appeared in Flash (vol. 2) #7), Red Trinity (first appeared in Flash (vol. 2) #6), and Jesse Quick. There were many more speedsters I could have used (such as the Rival, Savitar, the Tornado Twins, XS, and Inertia), but for the sake of the story, I just used those ten, but couldn't find a way to slip all of their names in. 

Tony 

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
---


	6. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #6

 

Superboy : Wildcard

Issue #6 (of 8)  
"It Gets Worse!"  
Plot By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)   
Script By [Dale Glaser](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Glaser.htm)

* * *

The streets of Midway City were always relatively quiet after dark, when the Syndicate curfew went into effect. Tonight they seemed deathly silent except for a few echoing footfalls. The general populace had locked themselves inside their homes, praying that they would be passed by. Fortunately for them, the members of the Syndicate walking down the city streets were looking for a very specific target. 

"This is total crap," Golden Beacon complained, allowing the yellowish flashlight which was projecting form his ring to fade to nothingness. "I could be cruising the red light district of Coast City, but instead I gotta go look for some snot-nosed kid?" 

The Eel, whose scaly neck had been extended thirty feet straight up while his head took on the shape of a pair of binoculars, brought his head back down to the same level as his companions. "Emperor Kal-El wants the brat found," the Eel said, a forked tongue darting between his sharp teeth. "He was most upset that Wally let him escape." 

"Yeah, well, then Wally should be out here looking for him," the Golden Beacon snorted. 

"I'll be sure to tell the Emperor that you don't particularly like following orders, next time I see him," Matrix answered, tossing her long dark hair off her leather-clad shoulder. "Or that you're afraid to follow them." 

"Don't make me laugh," Golden Beacon retorted. 

"All of you shut up," a dark and gravelly voice from the shadows commanded. A figure in black armor emerged from a dark alleyway. A bat-eared helmet covered his head, and a long black cape clung to his body. "Carnivore has found our quarry," the Knight informed the other Syndicate members. "Follow me." 

* * *

Kon-El, Spoiler, and Deep Freeze had made their way from Keystone City to a small apartment in the north end of Midway City. This was the base of operations for a small Resistance Front of America cell headed up by a man named Carl Sands. The four of them sat around a battered table in a dirty kitchen illuminated by a single bare bulb hanging overhead. 

"A metahuman on the side of the Resistance," Sands said, shaking his head. "I can barely believe it. But if it means that the Speed Freaks got taken down a few pegs, I'm all for it of course." 

"So what's your story, anyway?" Superboy said, trying to change the subject. He still felt as if he had failed this world's Bart Allen in Keystone City. The boy had found a hero within himself. That didn't change the fact that he had died proving it. 

"Me?" Sands asked. "I just got lucky I guess. Midway City is lorded over by a member of the Syndicate called Carnivore. He's an alien warrior, some kinda bloodthirsty birdman. I stumbled across the ship he came in and helped myself to some of the technology. Mostly a belt that lets me do this." Sands stood up and pressed his belt buckle, immediately transforming into a literal shadow of himself, dark and two-dimensional. A moment later the three-dimensional Sands reappeared. "Call myself Trace. I do a lot of spy work for the RFA." 

"Well, what can you tell me about the invasion of my world that the Syndicate has planned?" Superboy asked. 

Trace looked at Deep Freeze, and Deep Freeze nodded. "Kon-El here helped us take down the Speed Freaks. Least we can do is help him look out for his own dimension. Not to mention, if we just let the Syndicate invade another world, who knows how much more powerful they'll become, or how many allies they'll bring back with them." 

Trace nodded. "All right. What I know is that there's a dimensional gateway generator down south." 

"Where down south?" Spoiler pressed. 

Trace sighed. "Well, good news, bad news. New Orleans." 

Troubled looks crossed the faces of both Spoiler and Deep Freeze. "Why is that good news, bad news?" Superboy asked. 

"Well, the good news is that some of the strongest cells of the Resistance are in New Orleans," Spoiler explained. "They're brave and self-sacrificing. They're peacekeepers, the closest thing to � what do you old fogeys call them �" 

"Police," Trace offered. 

"Yeah, the closest thing to police we have since the Syndicate took over." Spoiler shrugged. "Before my time." 

"Figures. Cops are crooked in New Orleans where I come from, but everything's backwards in this dimension," Superboy mused. "So what's the bad news?" 

"The Blood Reavers," Deep Freeze answered. "Seriously bad news. Those guys are powerful AND vicious." 

"And they're definitely the ones guarding the gateway generator," Trace confirmed. "So if it's that important to the Syndicate, it must be tied into the invasion." 

"Well, we'll make short work of it, then," Deep Freeze said. "Kon-El here can distract the Blood Reavers long enough for me to give the generator a debilitating case of hypothermia �" 

"No, I need the generator," Superboy objected. "I have to get home, and take down that punk Wild Card. Somehow I have to get him back on this side where he belongs. Then we can worry about taking away the Syndicate's invasion ability." 

The foursome sat in silence for a few minutes, contemplating Superboy's words. Meanwhile, across the street, a pair of predatory eyes watched the scene through the kitchen window. 

* * *

"I hope you know what you're doing, John," the Guardian said. 

"So do I," Steel agreed, sitting in front of a computer terminal in a Cadmus laboratory. He had already re-tooled his armor once in preparation for facing Wild Card, but that was before he had seen the evil version of Superboy bring down an entire building on a squad of Pittsburgh cops. If he was going to face the herald of a cross-dimensional invasion, he needed more than the ability to match power with firepower. He needed to find a way to contain Wild Card, so that no more innocents would be caught in the wake of destruction. 

That was what had brought him to Cadmus. It was the original source of all of Superboy's powers. It might hold the key to neutralizing those powers. 

"Well, tell me what it is that you think you're doing," the golden-helmed hero urged his guest. "Because I gotta tell you, just the thought of someone with Superboy's power level running amok � it scares the hell out of me." 

"I'm going over all of the information in your computers related to the tactile telekinesis which Superboy controls," Steel explained, as he typed in a command for yet another cross-reference and comparison. "I'm also hooked into the JLA mainframe in the Watchtower." 

"The JLA has a lot of experience with metahuman cloning, eh?" the Guardian asked skeptically. 

"None at all," Steel admitted. "But Maxima of Almerac was a member of the team for some time, and she was an extremely powerful psionic. If I'm going to beat Wild Card, I need an edge against what he can do. And if I'm lucky �" Steel concentrated intently on the results on the monitor screen, stroking his goatee. "I think I may have found it." 

* * *

"ID, please." 

Wild Card lowered his sunglasses to the very tip of his nose and peered over them at the light gray robot in front of him. "Excuse me?" 

The Metal Man known as Lead, who now worked as a bouncer at Warrior's Bar and Grill, did not change the expression on his broad face. "No one allowed in without proper ID, kid." 

"Nobody says no to me! I'm Wild � er, um, I'm the wildly popular hero Superboy!" The Syndicate herald returned his shades to the bridge of his nose and flashed what he hoped was a charming wolfgrin at the young ladies waiting behind him in line at Warrior's. "And I'm ready to party!" 

Lead seemed unimpressed. "If you don't have ID, you're wasting your time." 

Wild Card's smile disappeared. He reached out and grabbed the front of the Metal Man's chest. With his tactile telekinesis he easily hoisted the weighty robot off the ground. "I'd say you're the one wasting my time! Now are you gonna let me in or do I have to get really rough?" 

"Well I'm not letting you in �" the leaden bouncer stated. 

"I was actually hoping you'd say that," Wild Card sneered. He turned and threw Lead in a high arc through the air. A few moments later the robot crashed into the roof of a sports car parked along the street. The chassis crumpled and the car's windows shattered outwards. Several of the people waiting in Warrior's line screamed as everyone backed away from Wild Card. 

"Oh, come on!" Wild Card yelled. "I thought this was supposed to be a fun city! Who else wants to kick some tail?" 

The thumping music playing inside the bar became less muffled for a moment, as the front door swung open and the proprietor stepped out. "If anyone's gonna kick some tail, it'll be me," Guy Gardner announced, brandishing his Qwardian power ring. "NOBODY messes with my bouncer." 

* * *

"So I guess I'm going to New Orleans," Superboy said. 

"We're going to New Orleans," Spoiler corrected him. 

Superboy opened his mouth to object, then shut it quickly. He knew that Stephanie Brown wouldn't take no for an answer. And he didn't particularly want to part company with her anyway. "OK, fine, we're going." 

"You should be all right if you stick to the Mississippi, just follow the river right down," Trace suggested. 

"Just like Huckleberry Finn," Superboy said. 

"What?" Spoiler asked. 

"You know, the book, Mark Twain �?" 

Spoiler shook her head sadly. "The Syndicate pretty much outlawed books." 

"Man, I hate those guys," Superboy grumbled. 

As if in response, the kitchen wall exploded inward at that moment. Bricks and plaster flew everywhere, knocked loose by a giant yellowish boxing glove. Superboy, Spoiler, Trace and Deep Freeze all hit the floor as Golden Beacon flew in through the newly formed hole in the wall. Hovering in mid-air, Golden Beacon quickly scanned the room and picked out the teenage girl as the least threatening RFA member. He projected a giant yellow hand from his ring and snatched Spoiler toward him. 

"Let her go!" Superboy yelled, flying toward Golden Beacon immediately. Golden Beacon grabbed Spoiler in a headlock and redirected the glowing jaundiced hand to rebuff Superboy. Kon-El flew under the hand, out the hole in the wall, to circle around Golden Beacon from behind. 

Before he could change directions, Superboy found a thin metallic cable wrapping itself around his neck, then dragging him down through the air at high speed. By the time he was able to get his fingers under the garrote and use his tactile telekinesis to shred it, he had been slammed into several garbage cans clustered on the street below. 

Superboy dragged himself to his feet as he heard a rushing whoosh of air overhead. Kon-El turned to see what he could only assume was Carnivore, a winged figure with a bird's head and a man's body, swinging a spiked mace directly at his head. Superboy tried to catch the mace but the weapon boasted gravitic distorters which overwhelmed his TTK. Kon-El was sent flying down an alley by the force of the blow. 

At the end of the alley, the gray, scaly form of the Eel waited, stretching his body taut across the area like a trampoline. Superboy hit the Eel and was flung away in a different direction, into the waiting arms of Matrix. 

Matrix caught Kon-El by the shoulders and flashed him a hungry smile. "Hi, handsome," she purred, before headbutting him, smashing her forehead into the bridge of his nose. Pain exploded inside Superboy's skull, and Matrix's laughter echoed in his ears. 

* * *

"You all right, Lead?" Guy Gardner asked, without taking his eyes off Wild Card. 

The Metal Man climbed out of the wreckage of the smashed sports car. "Yeah, boss," the robot replied. 

"Good. Now, come on, kid, what's this all about?" Gardner asked. "I know I was a bit of a hell-raiser myself when I was your age, but don't you think you're taking things a bit too far?" 

"All I wanted to do was have a little fun!" Wild Card shouted. "You think I'm taking things too far? Try this!" With that Wild Card rocketed through the air toward Gardner, fists first. 

Gardner smirked and projected a yellow tube from his Qwardian ring. One opening of the tube was directly in Wild Card's path. The tube took a ninety-degree turn straight up just in front of Gardner, and the other end opened high in the air above the Vegas street. Wild Card flew through the tube and emerged high overhead. 

Realizing how he had been shunted away from Gardner, Wild Card cursed angrily. He flipped into a mid-air handstand and grabbed the top lip of the solid-light tube. Concentrating fiercely, Wild Card enveloped the entire tube with tactile telekinesis, extending the mental force down to the beam of yellow light emanating from Gardner's ring and gripping Gardner's hand as well. Wild Card flipped through the air and heaved the tube mightily, dragging Gardner along in its wake. The tube swung around and Gardner smashed into the neon lights mounted on the front of the building that vertically spelled out WARRIORS. Glass tubes shattered and electrical cables showered sparks as the sign was destroyed. 

Wild Card laughed as Gardner's energy-construct tube dissolved and Gardner went limp against the building. "Now we're having fun!" he crowed. 

* * *

Matrix hurled Superboy down to the street. With his head still ringing, he was barely able to cushion the impact with enough TTK to avoid breaking every bone in his body. As he lay on the asphalt, a black armored figure jumped onto him, straddling his chest and raining devastating fists down on Superboy's face. As the Knight beat Superboy about the head, the Carnivore alighted beside him and smashed his mace into Kon-El's right knee. The Eel slithered up to Superboy's left and gripped his left forearm in a huge vice formed by the Syndicate member's malleable gray flesh. 

Superboy reacted on gut instinct, tapping once again into the power of the Speed Force that Bart had imbued him with in Keystone City. Kon-El's body began to vibrate at superspeed, allowing him to sink into the street itself as his molecules by-passed the pavement. The Knight, Carnivore and the Eel looked at each other in confusion as Superboy had disappeared in the span of time between heartbeats. 

A moment later the street several yards away exploded as Superboy burst into the air, still moving at superhuman velocity. A red and black blur streaked upwards toward Carl Sands' apartment, zigzagging too fast for the eye to follow. Matrix was sent cartwheeling through the air as the blur caromed into her on its ascent. 

Arriving at the ruined apartment and still tuned in to the Speed Force, Kon-El could see everything as if it were a Metropolis Sharks highlight being replayed in super-slow-motion. Deep Feeze had taken cover behind the overturned kitchen table and was firing his cyclotron pistol at Golden Beacon. A few icicles hung from the hole in the wall where Golden Beacon had blasted in, and a beam of ice streamed away from Deep Freeze's pistol at a glacial pace. Trace had shifted to his dark two-dimensional form and was trying to squeeze between the Golden Beacon's energy hand and Spoiler in order to extricate her, moving as slowly as a shadow under the sun. Spoiler was thrashing in the Golden Beacon's ring construct's grasp, rocking back and forth as fast as an angered snail. 

Superboy reached over Golden Beacon's shoulder from behind and grabbed the Syndicate member's ring with one hand, then shoved Golden Beacon backwards with the other. The yellowish hand holding Spoiler and Trace began to fade to nothingness as Golden Beacon was propelled away from the building, imperceptibly picking up speed in descent as gravity claimed his weight. Superboy cradled Spoiler and Trace in one arm, swooped toward Deep Freeze, and grabbed him as well. With all three Resistance members in hand, Kon-El flew out of the apartment and blazed through the sky toward the edge of town. 

Superboy stopped on the rooftop of an abandoned warehouse and slowed himself down, allowing the rest of the world to catch up to him. "Hopefully I gave you guys enough of a head start to give the Syndicate the slip," Kon-El said to Deep Freeze and Trace as he set them down. "Now Steph and I have to get the heck out of Dodge. Take care of yourselves." 

Deep Freeze and Trace nodded, and Superboy turned to Spoiler. "You ready?" he asked. 

"I'd better be," she shrugged, then threw her hands behind Kon-El's neck and jumped into his arms. Superboy took off again, heading toward the Mississippi. They flew south through the night, high above the course of the mighty river. 

* * *

Guy Gardner picked himself up and shook his head in an effort to clear the shooting stars from his eyes. His clothes were torn and scorched from the exploding neon lights, his face covered in tiny scratches. "What the hell is wrong with you, kid?" he demanded furiously. "You damn near killed me there!" 

Before Wild Card could answer, Gardner projected a canary-colored straitjacket which wrapped up the smirking herald. Wild Card struggled against the energy restraint, but Gardner focused all of his willpower into every photon of the straitjacket. The construct bulged but did not give. 

"Screw this, this is no fun anymore!" Wild Card howled. "You want me gone, fine! I'm gone! I'm heading back to Metropolis!" Wild Card began to fly away, high into the night sky, stretching the yellow beam of light from Gardner's ring to a gossamer thin cord. Eventually, Gardner let it go. 

"Good riddance," Gardner grumbled. "I gotta have a talk with Supes about that kid." 

* * *

After some hasty modifications in his workshop, Steel had attuned the ultra-longrange sensors in his helmet to what he believed was Wild Card's unique energy signature. The tracing blip had moved as far away as Las Vegas, but it was now returning on what seemed to be a direct course for Metropolis. And if Wild Card was returning, Steel would be waiting for him, ready to take him down. 

* * *

In Superboy: Wild Card #7: Superboy and Spoiler race to New Orleans, while Wild Card and Steel are on a collision course in Metropolis!

* * *

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
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	7. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #7

 

Superboy : Wildcard 

Issue #7 (of 8)  
"The Dirty South"  
Plot By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)   
Script By [Dale Glaser](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Glaser.htm)

* * *

"Hurry up, y'all," Annmarie Montague whispered harshly. 

"Goin' as fast as we can, cherie," Francis Dejohnette replied. 

Annmarie was acting as lookout for Francis, as well as two other members of the Resistance Front of America, Sylvia Bourque and Henry "Hack" Bartholomew, as they attempted to break into a Syndicate-controlled warehouse on the docks in the port of New Orleans. Annmarie looked up and down the rows of boxy storage buildings, searching for movement in the dark, while Francis, Sylvia and Hack worked in unison to circumvent the computerized security system on the door, a small box with its faceplate removed and many of its internal wires and circuitboards spilling out. 

"There she goes," Hack said with a grin as the box bleeped and the warehouse door unlocked to the sound of heavy bolts automatically retracting. The door swung inward and the four RFA members entered. 

Sylvia switched on a flashlight and swept its beam from side to side. "Do we know exactly what it is that we're looking for?" she asked. 

"Anything that looks new, or dangerous, or both," Francis answered. "Word is that this is the first stop for all the components of that monstrosity they're building in Jackson Square. Ship 'em in from up north, check 'em over, and then the Blood Reavers take 'em over to the site." 

"Don't even say their name," Annmarie begged with a shudder. "You'll jinx us." 

"My dear woman," a deep voice said from behind the four Resistance members, "surely anyone intelligent enough to gain access to this warehouse and divine its true purpose would also know that there is no such thing as jinxes." 

Startled, the RFA crew turned on their heels and found themselves facing a hugely muscular man, standing over seven feet tall and dressed in an expensive, hand-tailored three-piece suit of deep red silk. The strongman stared back at them humorlessly, blocking the doorway that was their only escape. 

"Sir Plus," Francis scowled. 

"And the rest of the Reavers can't be too far behind," Hack insisted. 

"Dude, we're already here," a laconic voice drifted down from overhead. A figure descended from the rafters in a magnetic halo, wearing zipper-covered tartan pants and a torn black t-shirt. He sported a spiky green Mohawk and multiple piercings through his ears, eyebrows and lips. 

"Whatever y'all are doing for the emperor, you won't ..." Annmarie began. She never finished as a hail of automatic gunfire swept through her and her compatriots. The RFA members fell to the warehouse floor like bloody ragdolls as wave after wave of bullets riddled their bodies, the chatter of spent ammunition echoing through the cavernous structure. Finally the shooting stopped and the gunman climbed down from his vantage point atop several crates. He was a twisted, hunchbacked cyborg with a bushy, untamed beard and large machinegun muzzles in place of both his hands. 

Three more figures emerged from the shadows in the back of the warehouse. The central figure wore elaborate bronze plate-mail armor, including a helmet that enclosed his face in a horned devil-like visage. On his left walked a painfully thin man in a tattered gray cloak with a narrow skull for a face. On the armored man's right walked a mustachioed blond man in a black leather jumpsuit. The man in armor said, "Monster Magnet, clean up Hairtrigger's mess." 

"Aw, man, why do I gotta do it?" the mohawked man whined. 

"Partly because I don't like you," the armored man replied evenly. "And also because Incinerator, Lent and I, along with Sir Plus, are going to deliver the newest shipment to Doctor Lucidity." 

"But, Modred ..." Monster Magnet continued to grouse. 

Modred, Incinerator and Lent walked across the warehouse, passing by the bodies of the Resistance Front of America members. As they did, Francis Dejohnette stirred, his left arm twitching as he tried to draw it under his chest to push himself up. Without hesitation, Modred detached a small rod from his gauntlet, which instantly transformed into a long two-handed pike topped with a large, bladed point. The tip gleamed as Modred swiftly brought the pike down and ran it through Francis's head. 

"Do I need to repeat myself, Monster Magnet?" Modred asked, pulling his weapon free of the ruined skull of Francis Dejohnette. 

"No, Modred," Monster Magnet sulked. 

* * *

John Henry Irons stood on the shoulders of Superman. This was absolutely true in the metaphorical sense; when the man of steel had expended so much energy defeating Doomsday that he was presumed dead, John Henry Irons had donned armor emblazoned with the Kryptonian S-shield and simply called himself Steel. He had considered himself a part of the legacy of Superman, carrying on an essential heroic tradition which would not have been possible without Metropolis's favorite son. 

At the moment, it was literally true, as well. Steel was standing on the right shoulder of a towering golden colossus, a memorial statue of Superman in the middle of Centennial Park. The sculpture's right arm was akimbo, while its left stretched out to allow a similarly golden bald eagle to perch on Superman's wrist. The statue Superman smiled benevolently, but inside the silvery-gray helmet of his armor, Steel wore a look of grim determination. 

The ultra-longrange sensors built into his helmet alerted Steel that his quarry was fast approaching, somewhere on the other side of the resplendent skyscrapers rising high above Metropolis. Steel stepped off the statue and dropped through the air for a moment before his boot jets fired to life. Then Steel was flying, higher and higher into the sky, closing in on the target. 

Steel soared over the roof of the high-reaching Newstime building and was rewarded with visual confirmation of the one he had been searching for. To anyone else on Earth, the boy flying towards the Metropolis skyline would have been identified as Superboy, in his familiar red, blue and yellow body suit, his jangly leather jacket and his too-cool-for-school sunglasses. But Steel knew his true name: Wild Card, herald of an evil invading force from a parallel dimension. 

Steel poured on the speed and rocketed toward Wild Card. The young emissary of Emperor Kal-El noticed the incoming armored Justice Leaguer and slowed his approach. Within moments the two were hovering scant feet from each other high above Metropolis. Steel held his long-handled mallet at the ready. 

"'Sup, Steel?" Wild Card asked with a crooked smile. "What's with the hostile body language?" 

"Save it, Wild Card," Steel replied. "I know you shunted Superboy through a dimensional vortex and assumed his identity. The charade ends now." 

"Fine by me," Wild Card sneered. "I was getting bored trying to convince everyone I was that wuss, anyhow." 

"I'm sure," Steel said. 

"So you know who I am - big deal! What are you gonna do about it?" Wild Card demanded. 

"This," Steel answered. He held his hammer to his side in his left hand and pointed his right hand at Wild Card. His armored fingers splayed and a mechanically-propelled cloud of particles shot from his fingertips, coating Wild Card's face and upper body. 

Wild Card blinked his eyes rapidly and shook his head, then yelled, "Are you kidding me? What is this supposed to be, fairy dust? You gonna wish me away, Tin Can?" 

"Hardly," Steel answered. "It's a heavy radioactive isotope called caelusium-421 that was previously only known to exist on the planet Almerac. Interestingly, it plays absolute havoc with almost all forms of telekinesis. Which is what gives you your super-strength. And, unless I'm greatly mistaken, also gives you your power of flight." 

Wild Card stared wide-eyed at Steel as he spoke, and then the young Syndicate villain began to slowly sink toward the Earth. 

* * *

"I think we're getting close to New Orleans," Spoiler said. 

"Cool," Superboy nodded. "How you hanging in there?" 

"The drink service on this flight isn't any good," she shrugged. "But I've had less comfortable rides, I suppose." 

Superboy smiled. He had been carrying Stephanie Brown, aka Spoiler, in his arms for almost an entire day as they had flown south along the Mississippi. Neither one of them was inclined to complain about it. In fact, Superboy was reluctant to ever let her go. 

"So how are we going to find this generator that the Blood Reavers are supposed to be guarding?" Superboy asked. 

"Trust me, Kon," Spoiler said, "Anything in New Orleans that the Emperor is taking a personal interest in will stand out." 

Superboy was unsure what Spoiler meant, until they approached the city limits. The New Orleans of the Syndicate's world looked even worse than its Metropolis. Some buildings were reduced to piles of rubble, others looked like they were about to collapse but were obviously still inhabited. The most stable of buildings still had some damage or signs of distress. Garbage and squalor was everywhere. The only sources of light were from various fires. 

Then, amidst the urban wreckage, Superboy spotted several high-power electric lamps, all trained on a single metallic black structure, a vertical web of struts and cables. The dimensional gateway generator. 

"That thing looks big enough to move an army," Superboy said. 

"Well, duh," Spoiler replied. 

* * *

Modred, Incinerator, Sir Plus and Lent materialized in Jackson Square via Syndicate teleporters. "Well, everything looks quiet and under control, as usual," Incinerator said. "You won't miss me too much if I pay a visit to the Artemis Brothel, will you?" 

Sir Plus, balancing a massive turbine on one shoulder, asked, "Are there really any young ladies there you haven't visited recently?" 

"There'd better be," Incinerator sighed. "I warned the madam that if there weren't at least a few new girls next time I arrived, I'd burn the building down." 

"All houses of sin should be so dispatched," Lent said gravely. 

"If I summon you on the subaudible channel, you had better answer," Modred growled. "The Resistance has been too bold lately. If they make any attempt on the gateway generator, I intend to meet them with overwhelming force, and that includes you." 

"I'll answer," Incinerator waved off the evil knight. A corona of smoldering flames engulfed Incinerator as he flew off toward Canal Street. The other three Blood Reavers approached the dimensional gateway generator. 

Doctor Lucidity crouched near a control panel, muttering to himself. His costume was a mish-mash of circuitry and cords and bits of metal scrap and plastic panels and half-finished inventions. Oversized blast goggles covered his eyes, and the lower half of his face was covered in neglected stubble. He twitched constantly. 

Sir Plus set down the turbine. "Here you are, Lucidity old boy," he said. "The Emperor's latest contribution." 

"No time, no time," Doctor Lucidity wheezed. "Too much to do. The rain can smell the machine, and wants to eat it. Scaring the machine. No time to be scared. No time for the rain." 

"Indubitably," Sir Plus nodded at the madman. 

"Excuse me," Superboy interjected, walking up behind the Blood Reavers. "I need to borrow your gateway, and I'm guessing I probably have to go through you boys to get it, but I was wondering if there's any chance you'd maybe just give up now, without a fight?" 

Modred whirled and immediately detached his extendible pike. "A single Resistance member? A child? Kill him, Lent," the leader of the Blood Reavers said dismissively. 

Lent advanced on Kon-El, and seemed to grow as he did so. The gray, tattered cloak swelled like the sail of a ship, and the slender jawbone of the skull face distended, growing wicked fangs. 

Superboy flew straight at the billowing body with his fists extended, but found that he passed through the cloak as if it did not really exist. A half-second later, Superboy finally hit something solid, a frail human body in the middle of the illusory monster. Superboy wrapped his arms around the body and flew straight up into the air, then TTK body-slammed his opponent back into the park. 

"A meta?" Modred exclaimed incredulously. "There's nothing in Aneurysmo's data banks about the Resistance working with any metas!" He raised a gauntlet to the side of his diabolical helm, to activate his hidden electronic transceiver. "Blood Reavers! Converge on Jackson Square! NOW!" 

Sir Plus stared up at Superboy, still hovering above the park. He beckoned the kid down with both hands. "You can't stay up there forever, little boy," Sir Plus admonished. 

"Hey, who you callin' 'little boy'?" Superboy shouted back. He dropped into a knuckles-first divebomb and plowed into Sir Plus, only to bounce off the well-dressed and utterly immovable brute. 

"You should fervently wish for my associates to arrive as soon as possible," Sir Plus said as he began to lumber towards the groggy Kon-El. "If they join in this fracas, your death will be brutal yet swift. But if it is only you and I, you should know that I plan on snapping each of your ribs one at a time and squeezing them upward through your throat and out your mouth." 

* * *

"If I'm going down, you're going down with me!" Wild Card screamed as he descended past Steel. The young Syndicate herald reached out in desperation and wrapped his fingers around the toe of Steel's right boot. Wild Card clawed at the metal, which crumpled in his hand, and began to drag Steel down. 

Steel swung at Wild Card with his sledgehammer, but his balance was thrown off by the awkward weight dangling from his foot, and the blow glanced off Wild Card's shoulder. Wild Card laughed viciously and tightened his grip, snapping two of the metatarsal bones in Steel's foot and causing the hero to cry out in pain. 

"Seems like your anti-telekinesis powder doesn't work all at once," Wild Card jeered. "I may feel messed up and fading fast, but I bet I've still got enough juice to wreck you!" 

"I'll take that bet," Steel replied through gritted teeth. He raised his hammer high over his head, taking his time to aim his next attack precisely. He brought the mallet down squarely in the middle of Wild Card's back. Wild Card grunted, obviously feeling the shock of impact, and more importantly, he released Steel's boot and continued to plummet toward the streets of Metropolis below. 

Steel watched Wild Card fall, until a gout of sparks erupted from his damaged boot, and the propulsion jet in his right heel stopped firing. His left boot jet roared louder as it tried to compensate to hold Steel aloft, but the strain was too great, and the left jet failed as well. Steel began to drop through the sky behind Wild Card. 

* * *

Sir Plus kneaded his fingers into Superboy's hair and hoisted the kid off the ground, holding him up so that they were eye to eye with one another. "It is a pity you didn't see the wisdom in joining the Syndicate, little meta," the muscle-bound Blood Reaver sighed. "You might have lived to see your next birthday." 

"You might not see yours, tough guy," Superboy retorted. 

"You think you can kill me?" Sir Plus laughed. 

"No, I said you might not see it," Superboy repeated. With that, he jabbed his thumbs into Sir Plus's eyes. 

Sir Plus roared in agony and tossed Superboy aside. The throw carried Superboy across the square to a dark, gothic cathedral covered in demonic gargoyles. Superboy crashed through the front wall in a shower of granite and stained glass. His momentum was still great enough to splinter several wooden pews before he finally came to a rest. 

Superboy tried weakly to rise to his hands and knees. He heard the massive front doors of the cathedral blow open, accompanied by the crackle of flames and the hum of energy. Superboy struggled to his feet. 

Incinerator and Monster Magnet had flown in through the front doors, and each one approached through the air on opposite sides. Superboy looked back and forth between the two Blood Reavers, each one poised to attack, and waited to see which one would strike first. 

The fire surrounding Incinerator's fists grew more intense. Arcs of force danced around Monster Magnet's knuckles. Both villains broke for Superboy at the same time. 

As Superboy braced himself, a small shape whizzed through the air past his ear from behind. A steel coil bola wrapped itself around Incenerator's wrist at one end and Monster Magnet's at the other, then contracted and pulled the two Blood Reavers together. Monster Magnet's punk rocker clothes caught fire instantly, while a ball of electromagnetic lightning enveloped Incinerator. The villains crashed to the floor of the church. 

Superboy turned around and found Spoiler looking back at him, bola launcher in hand. "Nice shot," he said. 

"Thanks," she nodded. The cathedral was beginning to fill with smoke, as Monster Magnet and Incinerator thrashed in the aisle, overwhelmed by each other's powers and setting fire to the carpet and pews. "Now how about you get me out of here?" 

Superboy threw an arm around Spoiler's waist and flew for the front door. He shot out of the cathedral and nearly flew into Modred, standing with his pike held over his shoulder. Modred launched the weapon at Spoiler, and Superboy twisted in mid-air to deflect the projectile. The pike banked off Superboy's back as he set Spoiler down. "Run!" he commanded. 

Superboy turned around again only to find Modred had already closed the distance between them and launched a flying kick at Superboy's head. The platemail-sheathed foot smashed into Superboy's jaw and sent him reeling. 

"I want you to realize the futility of this struggle," Modred announced. "Even if you had somehow managed to take out every last Blood Reaver here, the dimensional gateway generator would be useless to you. It is unfinished, and the final component, the vibrational attunement antenna, is secure in the Emperor's Fortress of Solitude." 

"Oh, really?" Superboy said. "Why didn't you say so?" The kid launched himself into the air and flew backwards towards the cathedral. He laid his hands on either side of the central steeple and snapped it off the structure, then dove towards Modred. 

Modred tried to roll out of the way but Superboy trapped the evil knight under the spire, driving the jagged bottom of the steeple deep into the ground. Modred flailed against the walls of the improvised prison as Superboy skimmed along the ground toward Spoiler, picked her up, and flew away. 

"What do you know about this Fortress of Solitude?" Superboy asked. 

"It's practically an urban legend," Spoiler admitted. "Nobody's ever been there and come back to tell about it, at least." 

"Fantastic," Superboy groaned. "All right, I hate to say it, but I think we're going to need Luthor's help, to find the Fortress and then to identify this tuning antenna doohickey. You up for a flight all the way back to Metropolis?" 

"As long as this goes towards my Kon-El Air frequent flier miles," Spoiler teased. 

* * *

In Superboy: Wild Card #8: Kon-El versus Emperor Kal-El in the Fortress of Solitude! Steel versus Wild Card in Metropolis! The explosive finale that will shake two worlds to their core! 

* * *

**SCRIPTER'S NOTE:** Hey all, Dale Glaser here. I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to Tony for bringing me onboard this project, because it's a lot of fun. I also felt compelled to say that Tony wanted to have Superboy's adventure take him through New Orleans and up against the evil version of Bad Blood pretty much from the get-go, long before he ever started getting the scripting assist from me. (So don't go thinking this issue is all a monumental testament to my ego. It's just flattering.) For those of you who haven't ever checked out my original series [Bad Blood](http://www.fauxdc.com/Titles/main/badblood/index.htm) here at FDC, you might have felt a little lost as far as who these "Blood Reavers" are - but now you know! See you next time for the big finale! 

The DC Universe of characters, which includes 90% of all the ones written about on this site, their images and logos are all legally copyrighted to DC Comics and it's parent company of Time/Warner. We make absolutely no claim that they belong to us. We're just a bunch of fans with over active imaginations and a love of writing.   
  
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	8. Faux DC! - Titles - Superboy : Wildcard  #8

 

Superboy : Wildcard #8

Issue #8 (of 8)  
"The Final Countdown"  
Plot By [Tony Thornley](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Thonrley.htm)   
Script By [Dale Glaser](http://www.imp-probableartists.com/fauxdc/oldsite/whoswho/authors/authors-Glaser.htm)

* * *

"So you think I'm just going to let you leave me behind?" Stephanie Brown demanded. 

Kon-El, the high-flying Superboy, rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably and chewed his lower lip. Since he was about to embark on an incredibly dangerous undertaking that would lead him into the lair of, and probably face-to-face with, the cruel and insanely powerful Emperor Kal-El, Superboy had assumed that no one in their right mind would want to accompany him. Especially not a normal human being, who was significantly more vulnerable to any number of dangers than a metahuman, tactile-telekinesis-wielding clone. But Stephanie Brown, aka Spoiler, was not normal. She had no metahuman powers, but she had a heart of gold and enough backbone to have risen high in the ranks of the Resistance that braved all odds fighting for freedom on the Syndicate's world. That meant she had more than enough moxie to stand up to the Metropolis Kid. Superboy's eyes shifted pleadingly to the man standing off to his left. 

"Don't look at me," Lex Luthor scoffed. "Miss Brown knows perfectly well she is not suited for this particular mission. Yet I know that she is impossible to talk to when she makes up her mind." 

Superboy sighed. The trio stood atop a brownstone in Metropolis, one of the few buildings that stood relatively intact in the urban wasteland, probably because the owner paid astronomical amounts of protection money to the Syndicate to keep it that way. All around them was the ruined, rubble-strewn city that was a dark mockery of the Metropolis that Superboy had always known. Here the city was a cracked spiderweb of shadowy alleys demarcated by barbed-wire fences and burned-out, shattered structures. The thought of leaving Spoiler in the middle of that nightmare was decidedly unpleasant. 

But the thought of leading her to her death was unbearable. 

"Steph, look," Superboy tried again, "I couldn't have gotten this far and survived without you. You've saved my life more than once. Can't you see that's what I'm trying to do for you?" 

"But �" Spoiler protested. 

Superboy shook his head. "I can't guarantee that I can keep you safe if � when � Kal-El shows up. I can't even guarantee I'll be able to keep myself alive." 

"Then don't go," Spoiler insisted, averting her eyes from his. 

"I have to," Superboy said. "But not with you. I'm gonna go, and maybe I'll find my way back home, and maybe I won't. That's not something you should have to die for. You're gonna stay here and keep working with the Resistance. That's worth living for." 

Spoiler said nothing for a long while, staring down at the tar rooftop. 

"Steph �" Superboy reached out. 

"Just go," she said brusquely. 

Superboy turned away, grabbed Luthor by the back of his jacket, and flew off the building. 

"You did the right thing," Luthor said as they soared over Metropolis. 

"Stuff it, Luthor," Superboy growled. "Just tell me where we need to go." 

"The Waterfront," Luthor answered. Superboy propelled them both through the air as fast as he could. Behind him, a grappling line fired from atop the relatively unmolested brownstone, and Spoiler swung away into the shadows. 

The shattered facades of abandoned offices and forsaken stores gave way to the husks of old warehouses lining the waterfront of the Syndicate's Metropolis, and Luthor directed Superboy to a small, dark building near a dilapidated pier. The boxy structure was weather-beaten, but still showed some flaking chrome trim, and might have once been a chic, upscale club. A fading sign above the front door identified the establishment as "The King of Pentacles", with the namesake tarot card depicted on either side. Superboy and Luthor landed on the doorstep. 

"This was once quite the social hotspot for certain anti-establishment types," Luthor explained as soon as Superboy released him. "Not really part of the Resistance per se. But for decadently wealthy individuals who wanted to flaunt their disdain for the Syndicate, it was the premier spot to see and be seen. The Syndicate allowed it to operate under their noses because they imagined it to be harmless, and if ever a public demonstration of rounding up dissidents was needed, a raid on The King of Pentacles would be like shooting the proverbial fish in a gin barrel." 

"So what happened to it?" Superboy asked. 

"Well," Luthor answered as he pulled open the crooked front door and led the way inside, "The owner of the club hated Emperor Kal-El with a passion, and it rankled the Emperor. He tolerated The King of Pentacles as long as he could, then one day he snapped and conducted his own personal raid. Everyone who was in the club that night escaped, except for the owner, who was apparently tortured by the Emperor personally for over a week. That would be over one-hundred and sixty-eight consecutive hours of bone-breaking, skin-flaying pain, with the Emperor never pausing to eat or to sleep. It drove Mr. Bibbowski quite insane, of course, and the club was never officially re-opened." 

"Bibbowski �?" Superboy repeated, suddenly realizing why The King of Pentacles seemed to have a familiar layout. The art deco atmosphere was diametrically opposite to a wharf bar, but the floor plan was exactly the same as its counterpart back home, the Ace O'Clubs. 

"Yes," Luthor nodded, oblivious to Superboy's recollections. "Truly a pity. Bibbowski was a nasty little man, but clearly no one deserves a fate such as his. But his misfortune works to our benefit in the present. You see, before Emperor Kal-El took his ultimate revenge upon Mr. Bibbowski, he had been convinced by Owlman that the nightclub belonging to his most outspoken detractor would make a perfect hiding place for an entranceway to the Fortress of Solitude. By the time his paranoid attack on the proprietor had come and gone, the Emperor had forgotten the hidden entrance existed. Other things on his mind, I suppose." 

Luthor and Superboy had reached the back of the club, where a round booth covered in red velvet cushions dominated one secluded corner. Luthor felt under the lip of the table and triggered a mechanism which caused the entire booth to rise up on hydraulic lifts, revealing a small sled on rails that pointed at a downward angle into absolute darkness. 

"So this is the express train to the Fortress of Solitude?" Superboy asked. 

"Indeed it is," Luthor confirmed. "At least, according to our best intelligence." 

"Guess that's got to be good enough," Superboy shrugged. He climbed into the sled, then extended a hand to the man standing beside it. "Thanks, Luthor. I wish I could have done more �" 

Luthor shook his hand. "We all have our parts to play, Kon-El. For Miss Brown, and for myself, that is to stay here and continue to fight the good fight against the Syndicate. For you, it is to return to your home and prevent the Syndicate from invading your world. If you succeed in denying the Syndicate the spoils of another Earth, you will have done a great deal to aid the Resistance. Do not think for a nanosecond you are abandoning us." 

Superboy nodded, and before any further goodbyes could be said Luthor pressed another button, causing the sled to accelerate down the rails and into the abyss. 

* * *

Wild Card hit the Metropolis asphalt with a sickening thump two seconds before Steel crashed into the street's paved surface with a jarring clang. Despite the height from which both had plummeted, they were soon rising to their feet. Steel's armor had absorbed most of the brunt of impact, while Wild Card had been protected by some of the last dwindling reserves of his tactile telekinesis. A moment later the two combatants faced each other in the middle of the street, like cowboys at high noon. 

"Give it up, punk," Steel admonished. "The caelusium-421 is sapping the last of your power. And I would say that I don't want to seriously hurt you, but � well, that would be a lie." 

Wild Card bared his teeth like a wild animal and ran a hand through his shock of black hair. "I don't just want to seriously hurt you, you old fool," Wild Card hissed. "I want to kill you." With that the young emissary of the Syndicate launched himself at the armored Justice Leaguer and drove his right fist at Steel's head. Rather than trying to block the attack, Steel used the opening to counter-attack and swung his long-handled hammer at Wild Card's side. 

Wild Card's blow landed first, and channeled all of his remaining TTK through the leading points of his knuckles. The faceplate of Steel's armor was deeply dented and punctured in two separate places. A half-second later, Steel's hammer struck Wild Card's ribs and sent the pretender Superboy tumbling across the street and slamming into a parked truck. 

Steel dropped his hammer and raised both hands to his armored mask, which was closely contoured to the shape of his head. Now it had several jagged depressions digging into his face, driven inward by Wild Card's punch. Steel could feel the queasy sensation of metal scraping against bone along his forehead. He detached the helmet as quickly as he could and tossed the ruined metal aside. 

No sooner had Steel wiped the blood from his eyes than Wild Card was within striking range yet again. Grinning like a maniac, the youth from an alternate world snapped a sharp left-handed jab into the bridge of Steel's nose. White flashes of pain exploded across Steel's field of vision, but he could hear Wild Card crowing, "You may have messed up my TTK, but I've messed up your armor. Without it you're just an old man, and I'm in the prime of my life. So get ready for an old-fashioned beatdown!" 

* * *

The sled rode the rails through an unlit tunnel, carrying Superboy deeper and deeper underground. Bands of metal lining the tunnel soon gave way to strata of raw rock. As the sled descended, heat began to build within the small passenger compartment, and Superboy found himself sweating profusely, then verging perilously close to passing out. His fists clenched around the handholds inside the sled, and he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, struggling to maintain consciousness. 

Suddenly, the heat increased drastically. Even with his eyes closed Superboy could tell that the sled had just emerged from darkness and into a blasting light. Guardedly, he opened his eyes. 

The rails were extending through a massive cavern, easily miles in diameter. The floor of the cavern was a lake of molten lava, constantly bubbling and occasionally sending geysers of magma upward. The air in the cavern shimmered with a fiery, orange glow. In the center of the cavern, on a raised column of rock, stood a crystalline castle crowned with Kryptonian symbols. The rails led directly to the gem-like towers. 

The sled passed through a small aperture in the side of the Fortress of Solitude and Superboy felt the temperature drop immediately. Apparently the Fortress was able to maintain reasonable environmental conditions, even in the center of the Earth. The sled came to a stop and Superboy climbed out. As soon as his feet touched the glossy floor, the sled began to climb back up the rails, towards the surface and the bay hidden under the corner booth in The King of Pentacles. 

Superboy crossed the small rail terminal and headed for a large door. He began to mentally review the information Luthor had been able to give him about the vibrational attunement antenna for the dimensional gateway generator. Luthor had said it would most likely consist of two crossbars inlaid with receptor circuitry, and each crossbar would be at least two feet long. "Shouldn't be too hard to find," Superboy muttered to himself as he pushed open the door. 

He immediately wished he could take the words back. 

The room Superboy passed into was the size of a large sports arena and was filled with a myriad of trophies, memorials and scientific equipment. Alien computers lined the walls, some giant blocks of metal and wires, some softly glowing, almost organic aggregations. Battle-damaged spaceships hung suspended from the high ceiling. A suit of Kryptonian armor, equipped with dozens of weapons clearly designed to cause maximum damage and destruction, stood on a pedestal. Three statues stood in the middle of the floor, one of a triumphant Emperor Kal-El himself, the other two a woman and a man on either side, cowering at his feet, bearing a strong enough familial resemblance to be Kal-El's mother and father. Interspersed throughout were glass cases of shelves piled with spoils - swords and laser rifles, ostentatious jewelry, unearthly gizmos and gadgets, works of art that seemed to have been roughly torn from frames and pedestals. 

"Great. Now what?" Superboy asked in frustration. 

"Now you die," a voice behind him replied. Superboy whirled on his heels and had barely enough time to recognize Emperor Kal-El's eyes were blazing red before the heat vision scourged his body. The laser beams were even hotter than the magma-heated cavern, and forceful enough to blast Superboy across the room, where he collided with the carcass of a large predatory amphibian that had been stuffed and mounted. 

Superboy immediately launched himself into the air, carrying the stuffed amphibian with him, and flew toward Kal-El. Superboy swung the base of the trophy at Kal-El's head, shattering the material into hundreds of pieces on impact. The Emperor did not even flinch. Instead, he inhaled deeply as if to sigh in disappointment, then expelled the breath in a gale-force column that swept Superboy into the opposite wall. 

Shaking his head as he pulled himself out of the small impact crater, Superboy said, "Hey, believe it or not, I didn't even come here to fight. I just need your gateway antenna doohickey. What do you say? You let me go back to my world, I leave you in peace here on your world, everybody's happy." 

Emperor Kal-El crossed the trophy room in a blur of motion and a split-second later Superboy's head was being crushed between Kal-El's powerful hands. "I think not," the Emperor intoned gravely. "I will not be happy until you are dead and your world trembles beneath my bootheel." 

Superboy tried to answer, and tried to pull Kal-El's hands apart to free his head, and failed to do either. 

* * *

John Henry Irons had never considered himself a fighter, despite his years of employment as a weapons designer. The guns he had drafted schematics for were abstractions. Violence was not a way of life for him. But after assuming the identity of Steel, and working alongside the Justice League of America, there was one thing John Henry Irons had learned to do well: throw a punch. 

Steel's armored hand pounded into Wild Card's stomach, and doubled the young villain over in pain. A subsequent uppercut crashed into Wild Card's jaw, bringing a spray of blood from the emissary's lips. 

Wild Card looked at Steel and wiped the blood from his mouth. When his hand came away, he was smiling sadistically. "Not bad, old timer. But not good enough, either." 

Steel spied his hammer on the ground several yards away, and Wild Card followed his line of vision. "Oh, I bet you want that, don't you?" Wild Card sneered. 

Steel lunged for the mallet, but Wild Card dove faster, coming up with the weapon tightly grasped in his fingers. He swung the hammer directly into Steel's chest. Steel staggered off-balance and ultimately fell to the street. 

"I told you," Wild Card admonished his opponent. "With your armor offline, I'm faster and tougher and guaranteed to end your pathetic life right here." 

"Armor's � not � completely � offline �" Steel responded, still lying on his back. He pointed his right hand at Wild Card's feet, and a volley of miniature explosive rockets fired from his wrist. A thunderous concussion sounded, accompanied by a cloud of black dust as the surface of the street was pulverized instantly. Somewhere in the sound and smoke, Wild Card screamed. 

Steel dragged himself to his feet and made his way to the site of the explosion. It had torn through the entire street, revealing the sewer system running underneath Metropolis. Cautiously, Steel lowered himself into the hole. 

He landed in knee-deep effluvium in the subterranean tunnel. Steel looked into the distance in both directions, but saw no sign of Wild Card. He was about to attempt to climb back out when the sudden sound of splashing water and gasps for breath caused him to turn around. 

Wild Card emerged from under the surface of the sewage-choked water, coughing out mad barks of laughter. "Good trick, old man, good trick!" he brayed. "But how do you like this one?" 

Wild Card reached out to his side and put his hand on one of the heavy pipes running along the side of the tunnel. He tore a length of the pipe free as easily as if it were tissue paper instead of reinforced metal. "Looks like the little bath you gave me washed off your special crappium-420-whatever," Wild Card scoffed. "So my TTK is coming back � and you are so dead." 

* * *

Superboy struggled vainly to pry himself loose from Emperor Kal-El's hands. He lifted his legs and braced the soles of his shoes against Kal-El's chest, trying to push himself clear of the Emperor's reach. The maneuver gained him a few seconds, as Kal-El focused on pulling on Superboy's head rather than crushing it, but the deathgrip held. In desperation, Superboy kicked upwards, catching Emperor Kal-El under the chin. 

The Emperor dropped Superboy and stared down at him in astonishment. Superboy could tell that, once again, he had not caused Kal-El any actual injury. But Kal-El had felt, and been deeply offended by, what the striking of his royal visage represented: opposition, defiance, things Kal-El had not encountered in a long, long time. 

Scowling, Emperor Kal-El brought his fists down to smash Superboy, who barely rolled out of the way by inches. The Emperor's blow shook the entire Fortress of Solitude and echoed throughout the trophy chamber. Superboy flew to the highest reaches of the ceiling, and Kal-El flew after him, leading with his fists. Superboy made a sharp mid-air turn just as Kal-El swung through a haymaker that could have flattened a tank. Superboy flew back down again, grabbing a suspended spaceship and throwing it backwards at Kal-El as he passed it. The Emperor smashed through the hull without slowing down. 

Superboy looked around the room frantically, trying to spot the crossbar shape of the vibrational attunement antenna. If he could only find it and grab it he could attempt an escape. Maybe he could stay one step ahead of the Emperor all the way from Metropolis to New Orleans and the dimensional gateway generator. Maybe the Emperor would lose interest, or send his lackeys in pursuit, whom Superboy had already beaten once. If only he could find what he had come for � 

It was too late. As Superboy darted from corner to corner of the room, searching recklessly for the antenna, Emperor Kal-El became more and more enraged until he finally grabbed Superboy by the hair and yanked him close. "You annoy me, little pest," the Emperor hissed in Superboy's ear. "Or rather, you did. But no more �" 

Emperor Kal-El pulled back his free hand, slowly curling the fingers into a fist. The fingers of his other hand dug excruciatingly into Superboy's scalp. Superboy summoned all of his TTK into the palms of his hands, knowing that catching Emperor Kal-El's punch before it connected with his head was his only chance of survival. 

The punch never came. Without warning, the Kryptonian battle armor appeared behind the Emperor and raked his back with a buzzsaw-trident. Kal-El roared in pain and dropped Superboy, turning his attention to the battle armor. "I will deal with you momentarily, worm," the Emperor assured Superboy. 

Superboy rose to his feet. "You know what?" he challenged the Emperor. "Ever since I got to this crazy, ugly, backwards world, I've been off-balance. Everything here is wrong! Even me! Since I had to question everything, I even questioned myself! And I started to believe that maybe I wasn't going to make it out of here! But I am! And you know why?" 

Superboy barreled through the air, and tackled Emperor Kal-El, hollering, "BECAUSE I AM FREAKING AWESOME, THAT'S WHY!!!" Propelled by Superboy in flight, Emperor Kal-El flailed and was driven through the wall of the Fortress. 

"That's what I'm talkin' about," Superboy said smugly. Once again he resumed his search for the antenna. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the Kryptonian battle armor helping him in his search, but he had no time for mysteries like that now. For more than one reason, he wished Robin were there. 

Emperor Kal-El flew back in through the hole in the wall. "You will die knowing this, little one," he growled. "You no longer annoy me. You have truly earned my hatred, for defiling my sanctuary in this manner." 

"Defiled? You want to see defiled?" Superboy laughed. "Check it!" Superboy reached for the floor and pulled a huge chunk of glossy white flooring free, then tossed it aside. It smashed into a super-computer in a shower of sparks. Superboy tore out another chunk, and another, and soon was tossing dark brown rock as he had ripped through all of the Fortress of Solitude's foundation. 

"Stop! I command you!" Emperor Kal-El bellowed. 

"Hang on, let me think about that," Superboy said, then shook his head. "Nah, I'm cool." 

"You fool!" Kal-El retorted. "If you destroy the central stalagmite formation the entire Fortress will fall into the magma and be consumed in fire! Including your precious vibrational attunement antenna!" 

"Don't you mean your precious vibrational attunement antenna?" Superboy asked. "Maybe that's not such a bad trade-off if it scuttles your whole invasion of my Earth plan." 

With a wordless howl of rage, Emperor Kal-El threw himself at Superboy, who continued excavating. Kal-El rammed into Superboy, but bounced off a shield of TTK that kept Superboy firmly rooted to the earth. The blow was painful, but Superboy continued digging, undeterred. Kal-El returned for another divebombing punch, but once again was unable to move Superboy. 

"What's it gonna be?" Superboy demanded. "You gonna rescue the antenna, give away its hiding place so we can wrestle for it? Or you gonna let me melt down your whole Fortress?" 

Emperor Kal-El seethed silently, regarding Superboy with pure malice. When he finally spoke, it was in a low voice trembling with fury. "Melt it down," he stated. Without another word, Emperor Kal-El flew out of the Fortress of Solitude. 

"Um � okay?" Superboy said. "That wasn't exactly what I expected." 

The rumbling sound of creaking stone emanated from deep below Superboy's feet. "Right, gotta find the antenna fast now," Superboy reminded himself. Then a rain of clamor overhead began to sound. "What now?" Superboy wondered aloud. 

"I believe the Emperor is trying to collapse the cavern and ensure that you do not escape the destruction of the Fortress of Solitude, either," a familiar voice answered. Superboy looked in the direction of the voice to see Luthor climbing out of the Kryptonian battle armor. 

"Luthor! How did you get here?" Superboy demanded. 

"The same way as you," Luthor said simply. "You sent the rocketsled back to the club, and I rode it down. I decided you should not have to face your fate alone. When I arrived you and the Emperor were too occupied with each other to notice me donning the battle armor behind you." 

"Great, you can help me find the antenna � whoa!" Superboy was cut off by the entire Fortress of Solitude pitching crazily to one side, as the stalagmite beneath it began to give way while the roof of the cavern continued to crumble and pelt the structure with giant boulders. The floor became a forty-five degree angle, and trophies tumbled across it to pile up against the lowermost wall. Luthor and Superboy landed in a heap atop the broken items. 

"There's no time to find the antenna, and in any case, you were right. To save your Earth, the antenna must be destroyed along with the Fortress," Luthor insisted. 

"You realize that means we're going to die here, right?" Superboy asked. 

"Perhaps I will," Luthor admitted. "But not you. I had long heard rumors that Emperor Kal-El possessed a projector which could transport an individual to one and only one dimension, a place called the Phantom Zone. It would be a simple matter for a genius such as myself to enhance it in such a way as to send you home." 

"Groovy. Where do we find it?" Superboy asked. 

"I already did," Luthor said as he pointed up the sloping floor of the room. "It's in the hand of the battle armor." Superboy looked and saw the battle armor balanced atop the statues of Kal-El and his terrified parents, still secured in the middle of the floor. 

"Be right back," Superboy said. He flew up toward the statues and stretched out his hand toward the prize in the glove of the battle armor. The Fortress shifted again, dipping the floor even more steeply. The battle armor became dislodged from the statues and plummeted toward the rest of the trophies, but not before Superboy snatched the Phantom Zone projector away from its inert hand. The armor crashed noisily as Superboy flew back down to Luthor. 

Luthor took the projector and opened its casing, quickly disconnecting and reconnecting wires. All around, the Fortress groaned with its unbalanced weight. 

Finally Luthor finished and aimed the modified projector at Superboy. "Luthor, come with me," Superboy blurted out. "We'll figure out a way to get you from my world back here, I mean not right back here, but someplace safe on the surface �" 

Luthor shook his head. "The projector requires an operator, so I cannot turn it on myself. You have a world to return to. Stephanie will lead the Resistance. My story ends here. I will have to be proud of what I did to help, and enjoy the destruction of Kal-El's sanctuary." 

"You're an all right guy, Lex," Superboy said, as a beam of purple light enveloped him, blurring out all the details of the trophy room. Superboy felt a slight tingle, and then nothing at all. 

* * *

For the second time in less than five minutes, a section of Metropolis roadway exploded. This time, however, the explosion came from underground, and was caused by the armor of Steel bursting through the street, having been thrown by Wild Card. Steel arced through the air and landed on the sidewalk painfully. All of his armor was severely damaged, and his exposed skin was raw and bloodied. 

Wild Card emerged from the hole in the street a moment later, cackling. He landed next to a parked car, lifted it overhead, and tossed it toward Steel. The car smashed into the ground a few feet from the armored Justice Leaguer. Wild Card hefted another car and lobbed it, followed by another. Both missed, but Wild Card was merely toying with his disadvantaged foe. 

"Excuse me, but you're doing some serious property damage to this fair city," Superboy announced his arrival, "and this city is under MY protection." 

Wild Card reeled around, stunned to find Superboy hovering a few feet above the street. "YOU! You � how � you should be dead!" the emissary sputtered. 

"Yeah, gotta tell you, I'm really sick of people telling me I need to be dead," Superboy shrugged. Then he dropped to the street directly in front of Wild Card and backhanded his evil doppelganger. 

Wild Card flew backwards from the force of the blow and smacked into a traffic light, bending the pole in half. He recovered and threw himself at Superboy, who met him halfway in mid-air. The two powerhouses flew upwards, spiraling around each other, trading blows ferociously. Their shared whirlwind of violence rose so high that it became impossible to see them from the ground. 

Therefore, when the special detachment of vans and trucks from the Metropolis SCU, backed up by S.T.A.R. Labs, arrived on the scene moments later, and asked Steel where the metahumans had gone, Steel could only reply, "I don't know." 

Fortunately, no one had to wait long for an answer. Like a red and blue comet, a shape streaked down from the heavens and came to rest in an amazingly light landing. The shape consisted of two figures: Superboy, slightly scuffed, holding the belt of a thoroughly beaten and unconscious Wild Card. 

"Take him away, boys," Superboy said. Several SCU agents carried Wild Card to a special S.T.A.R. Labs vehicle, essentially a mobile power-dampening cell. 

Superboy crouched down by Steel, who was being tended to by paramedics. "You ok, buddy?" the kid asked. 

"Been better," Steel admitted. "But I'm glad you got that little psycho." 

"Yeah, it was different this time," Superboy said. "He was less powerful, like his powers had been turned off and hadn't fully recharged. I suppose I have you to thank for that?" 

"You could say that," Steel acknowledged. 

"All right, well, thanks, then," Superboy grinned. 

Steel gave him a weak but heartfelt thumbs-up. "Welcome home, Kon." 

**THE END**

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